Welcome to the SUN-TAG
SLED website. This is a brief
history of the SUN-TAG SLED.
They say necessity is the
mother of invention and this is very much the case with our
sled. We are three brothers who farm together calving out
approximately 500 head of beef cattle. Because of the way that
we calve our cows, most calves being born outside, we have to
move the newborn calves into a barn or a more desired location.
Prior to the SUN-TAG SLED
this "moving" procedure could be quite an ordeal - sometimes a
rodeo! The problem was there was no decent means of transporting
these newborns. The sleds on the market had low sides that a
calf would struggle out of as it was starting to get it's legs
under it. Another problem was getting the calf into the sled
while being hassled by it's mother which can be very dangerous
at times. A high sided sled made this procedure even more
difficult.
Two things were a must in
our new design. The first - an open back end, there by allowing
a calf to be pulled in without lifting. The second - a means of
securing the calf once in the sled. With the SUN-TAG SLED this
is achieved by placing the calf's back leg in the slot in the
front of the sled. Although not a must we find that a calf catch
hook can be helpful for this procedure.
Once in the barn you
simply lift the front of the end of the sled, with molded handle
provided, and the calf slides out the open back.
Everything works very well
with this design. The cow stays calmer, she sees her calf and
follows nicely. The handler doesn't have to lift the calf and
get all wet and it is much easier on the back! It is just better
and safer all around.
SUN-TAG SLED is
manufactured in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan and made with new - not
regrind - medium density polyethylene. This is very durable for
our Canadian winters right from the mud to the extreme cold. We
found that yellow is the best color to use.
We have marketed the
SUN-TAG SLED from British Columbia to Nova Scotia.
You won't regret
purchasing one of our SUN-TAG SLEDS and it will make your life
easier!
