Sheep shearing kit maker Heiniger has launched a lighter-weight version of its Icon shearing handpiece.

The unit, which is sold in the UK via importer Allflex, uses a slimmer barrel to supposedly improve balance and reduce hand/wrist strain.

In reality, it should make it less tiring to shear a large number of sheep and enables professional shearers to maximise their daily tallies, the company says.

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The alteration to the Icon FX has made it lighter than the existing Cyclone version (1,190g v 1,300g), which was used by Kiwi shearer Rowland Smith when he broke the eight-hour world shearing record in 2017.

In his record-breaking effort, he managed to shear an average of one ewe every 44.72 seconds and 644 sheep over the course of the event.

The FX is compatible with pin- or worm-driven shearing plants, including some from third-party manufacturers.

Asking price of the Heiniger Icon FX is £375.