Its inventor Wayne Perkins said it had the potential to double the throughput compared to over the board crutching and a little cheaper per head.

Crutching trailers have been around for years but the simple yet effective nature of this latest invention has taken the eye of Australian woolgrowers at a time when crutching may become a more frequent on farm activity thanks to the 2010 mulesing deadline.

The Perkinz Crutchmaster trailer incorporates a number of inventions such as angled bristles to keep stock moving one way without noisy catches that can spook animals, optional leg and neck restraints, dead man switch and safe but effective release mechanism.

The trailer comes in a one to four unit trailer and requires 240 volt power but contains no electronic eyes, hydraulics or air pressure.

* Extract from a full report to appear in Stock & Land, Vic, June 12 issue.