Swedish trailer company Metsjö has launched its new MetaMove livestock trailer, where loading takes place almost completely at ground level. This is made possible by axles that adjust hydraulically in both height and width, which means there’s no requirement for wheel wells that would take up floor space inside the trailer.
The trailer has an internal width of 2.35m with straight walls, maximising capacity. It is only 2.55m wide on the road, and this has been acheived by using an innovative axle that’s hydraulically extendable.
Built by Metsjö with the help of BPW, the lateral sliding axles use a hydraulic cylinder that also locks the shafts in place; no manual intervention required. The height of the trailer is adjusted with an external hydraulic cylinder. The trailer and its axle function are patent-pending.
Metsjö had 10 pre-production MetaMove trailers on test farms and the satisfactory results mean the trailer is now ready for launch throughout Europe. The new trailer was also rewarded with two stars at Denmark’s Agromek 2021 agricultural show.
The trailer was designed in cooperation with the Swedish Farmers Association to suit the needs of farmers. Development began four years ago with the aim of building a trailer that sits on the ground while loading animals and is raised during transport. During the raising process, the wheels are pulled in under the load area to keep the transport width within legal limits.
The MetaMove trailer is available at either 6.0 or 9.0m long by 2.35m wide, providing a cargo space of up to 21 square meters, which gives room for about 13 large animals. The trailer has a sheet metal roof with sound-dampening treatment to minimise noise. An internal gate is included and this can be moved to where it is required thanks to pre-cut holes.
