ITS design is simple, yet ingenious and the versatility amazing, not to mention the affordability and a barnyard of other efficiencies.

We could go on. But suffice to say the Combi Clamp Sheep Handler has been a game changer.

Developed by Wayne Coffey in NZ as a device to help in the dagging process for thousands of ewes 22 years ago at a time when the Black Ferns became women's rugby world champions and New Zealand's coalition government dissolved, the Combi Clamp is now a household brand.

Countless fans here, in NZ and on the other side of the equator, speak volumes about the Combi Clamp's simple mechanics, that it requires neither air nor power, has a straightforward set-up and runs quietly at minimal cost.

There are few animal health tasks which cannot be completed using the Combi Clamp because of its hands-free operation and clear access to most parts of the animal, Mr Coffey said. The Combi Clamp's design allows sheep to be eased into different catching positions for various tasks such as dagging, crutching, drenching, capsuling, vaccinating, ear marking and tagging in the gentlest of ways.

It can even be tailored to suit particular operations with a broad range of optional extras.

But the Combi Clamp might have remained a family secret had friends and neighbours refrained from encouraging Mr Coffey, who had no original intention of offering it to the market.

"Since the original design, the company has been through stages of growth from contracting out the manufacturing and completing the assembly in the tractor shed, to having our own manufacturing workshop with almost everything done in house," Mr Coffey said.

"The major benefit of having our own workshop is the ease with which we can make changes to the design or introduce new extras."

Breeder Kaye Bottrall is tickled pink Mr Coffey listened to the confident predictions of the Clamp's potential.

She said it was a "wonderful success" when put to use as they dagged and drenched 800 head, including 400 ewes.

Tasmanian-based Georgie Burbery, who runs a flock of composites with her husband, is another fan.

She acquired her first Combi Clamp nine years back and vouches for its worth.

"It's a relatively simple device," Ms Burbery said.

"Very little can go wrong and they're affordable so you don't need to move it around. You can have one in every set of yards.

"You can do everything you need to do with sheep handling.

"We use them for weighing, dagging, drenching, vaccinating, mouthing, checking udders, checking feet and drafting.

"When we bought our first unit we only wanted a sheep handler to crutch through and when our operation expanded we saw the potential for weighing through it as well and it's grown from there.

"Between our own operation and my brother's business we own seven Combi Clamps and they have been a huge help to our businesses."

Pressed to explain the success of his invention, Mr Coffey said it was as much about animal welfare and labour saving as it was price.

"Thirty years ago in Australia the flocks were mostly Merino and farmers had roll-over machines as full crutching a merino was a loathed job," he explained.

"With the shift to composites and other breeds, people began to look for a handler rather than a roll-over machine.

"Sheep don't like being taken off their feet and that's where the Combi Clamp comes into its own.

"We clamp the sheep with our own bodyweight - no compression and it's nice and quiet.

"The clamping wall is entirely rubber without pressure points to avoid any bruising."

An added - and popular - bonus with Combi Clamp is the ability to handle sheep of various sizes without changing the width between e.g. ewes and lambs undrafted.