Manure Spreader -- ground-drive or PTO?

[King_s_Ransom]

I think we are going to buy a manure spreader. Our herd has grown to the point that we NEED to start spreading manure. Here in Kansas, however, we often have long stretches of time when we won’t be able to spread – monsoon season, blizzard season, ice season (you get the idea). Sooooo … we end up with a pretty large manure pile that will have to be loaded into a spreader using the FEL on our tractor.

We have a John Deere 2305 (with the FEL), it has a PTO and enough power to run the PTO spreader.

We also have a smaller JD lawn tractor, which is stout enough to pull the ground-drive spreader, but does not have 4-wheel drive and there are many more instances when the lawn tractor would not be able to spread manure than the JD.

We do not have plans to purchase a 4-wheeler, Gator or any other equipment right now.

The cost difference between the PTO and the ground-drive is insignificant.

Given that information – which would you choose: PTO or ground-drive; and why?

Thanks!

[goodhors]

Having owned both types, I would choose the PTO over ground driven anytime.

With the PTO you can unload the spreader anyplace. If you can’t get out back in ice or snow, you may just have to make a pile until weather or mud, allows you back out in the fields to spread. You just back up run the PTO until spreader it empty, put the spreader and tractor away again until you back up to dump the next load onto the pile. Having the FEL you can pick up that pile when conditions allow spreading again, put it back in the spreader and dump it on the fields.

Ground drive does work for spreading, but has less “power” to push a load off with chains and bars, beater bar. You have to have PLENTY of space to drive around while emptying. You might have to make several trips EACH LOAD to clean off the bed. So when you go over the same ground 3-4 times a day, day after day, it makes for mud, torn up grasses, lots of wear and tear on your land. You will need to fix that come spring, find other places to drive for unloading. Small farmette may have limited places for spreading, so you can not avoid going over the same ground many times.

Not emptying spreader daily is much more likely to mean you have to shovel off the ground drive load when it freezes, since chain doesn’t have the power of the tractor to move chain and heavy load. You CAN break chain with the PTO trying to move a frozen load, since it is now a chunk and PTO machine is not made to move solid loads like that. So letting ANY manure load sit very long to freeze, can mean you shovel the spreader to empty it, to prevent breaking the chain under that kind of load.

I empty my spreader DAILY, large or small load, to prevent floor rot, rust on chains, bars, walls. And I SURE don’t want to be shoveling frozen manure out of my spreader ANYTIME. Way too much work!! We have between 6-7 horses who are barned daily, with stalls cleaned daily. I need a spreader that works hard, not a toy or decorative model, holds a fair amount so cleaning is one trip thru the barn each day.

PTO spreader is best for me every time. Maybe you can find a used PTO one, not as expensive as the new spreaders. My 3week old one, is at least 30 years old, but works WELL. Sold the older, worn PTO spreader, for parts, with buyer HAPPY to get his hands on it. Box will probably be resold by him as a wagon for just hauling stuff like firewood. Plenty of older spreaders around if you look, for various prices. Craigslist is good for hunting.

We found the “new” one parked beside a country road with a For Sale sign on it. Farmer ran it for us, watched the PTO power the chain going around, beater bar worked, showed us how to set the speed for dumping (hadn’t had that on the old one!) so we could change settings if needed. Some dickering ensued, and we owned the spreader. It sure is RED since husband painted it!!

[AmarachAcres]

We are doing similar research and I’m leaning towards PTO because the ground driven ones ALWAYS spread. That means if you are driving and hit an area you don’t want to dump manure it won’t matter. The PTO has more control of how much, how fast, and when you dump.

Just started reading about it though so I could be wrong.

[goodhors]

Ground driven spreader has a lever to throw, to engage the gearing for spreading. You can turn them off, to reach the location you want to spread on, then engage the gears to make the chain dump as you drive along. Otherwise they would be dumping the manure in the aisle as you cleaned stalls, not what you want!

[Bluey]

Our ground drive can be engaged or disengaged with a lever, doesn’t stay on all the time.

I don’t know about PTOs without a tractor attached 24/7 to it.
The disadvantage of PTOs you have to connect every time you want to use it is that you have to connect the PTO, which for short armed me is just not worth the trouble.

If someone has 20+ horses, yes, you need the bigger wagons and those all have to be PTO.

For small amounts, ground drive is good enough.
That is what most small stables have around here.

[AmarachAcres]

My apologies. I must have back spaced too much, I meant without stopping and getting out. Ooops!

[QUOTE=goodhors;7761894]
Ground driven spreader has a lever to throw, to engage the gearing for spreading. You can turn them off, to reach the location you want to spread on, then engage the gears to make the chain dump as you drive along. Otherwise they would be dumping the manure in the aisle as you cleaned stalls, not what you want![/QUOTE]

[Christa_P]

[QUOTE=AmarachAcres;7761970]
My apologies. I must have back spaced too much, I meant without stopping and getting out. Ooops![/QUOTE]

My 25 bushel ground drive can be reached from the tractor for both on and off. It is even easier if I attach a piece of twine to pull the levers up for off.

That said, I would prefer a PTO model for all the reasons stated.

[King_s_Ransom]

I am leaning toward ground drive because I HATE connecting things to the PTO. Mine seems especially difficult, or maybe I am just a wimp…

[gumtree]

PTO. The “throwing power/distance” is set by engine speed not ground speed. Once you get comfortable and “know” the equipment there is no guess work involved. You will figure out engine speed and the proper gear for ground speed to throw the desired amount consistently. After this if figured out all you have to do is jump on the tractor and go. All levers are at your finger tips.

The PTO drive shaft is not very heavy on those small spreaders. The one on my 16’ JD Flex-wing mower is a bear and a real PITA at times to connect. It would be nice if the manufactures would put alignment marks on the drive shaft and the out put shaft (tractor side).

Keep it greased and have a handy pair of gloves nearby.

Check the PTO power requirements of the spreader and match to the power output of the PTO on your tractor. The over all HP of a tractor is not the same at the PTO. You also want to make sure the tractor has the weight and braking power needed for the load. Especially if you will be dealing with any hills.

[goodhors]

If you want ground drive, get it. If you don’t like it later, you can get a spreader with a PTO and sell the other one. You are NOT married to the spreader!

I have good luck with turning the shaft on tractor, to “fit the teeth” in the PTO end, then pushing it on. Without turning the shaft, I NEVER could get the ends to match easily for putting the PTO on. That got OLD, changing from spreader to mower, etc.

Try your own tractor, see if the shaft will turn when tractor is in neutral, TURNED OFF, for easier PTO alignment in putting machinery on. Once I found out that trick, it got MUCH easier to set up my machines for use.

Some models of PTO seem MUCH harder to disengage the locking device than others. The button PTO for brush hog is EASY to push in, for putting on the tractor shaft or removing it. The collar lock on PTO for finish mower is a BEAR to keep pulled back while pushing the PTO onto the shaft. About as hard to take off too! As mentioned, keep them greased, wear gloves, when working with them.

Make sure PTO is FULLY ON (push hard until notches are covered) the tractor drive shaft, test by pulling back on PTO to make sure locking device is engaged. This means you can’t pull the PTO backwards off the tractor shaft, button lock has come back out fully. Having the PTO come off while in motion is DANGEROUS.

[Anjou]

To Spread Manure or Not

I apologize if my reply is a bit off topice, but I do tend to think outside the box… way outside. I also have a JD 2305 with a 48" FEL. It’s an indispensable addition to any farm. I do not currently have horses, or any other livestock, but I am responsible for handling the manure from 8-10 horses. What I am suggesting is that you convert manure into a value added product that you could use on your land or even sell. I hot compost mine (at 170°F) and let me tell you 10 horses generate a LOT of manure in half a year, but, through microbial action and heat, you can reduce the volume by half and eliminate any weed seeds. In the end, you get many cubic yards of compost, which can be used in the garden or as mulch. I have also learned that if you set a few cubic yards aside and introduce a handfull of worms, before long you have a nice worm bed and lots of vermicompost (and worms you can sell). Just be sure to wait for the heat to drop below 100°F before adding any worms or you’ll cook them. Every winter, my manure pile, which I turn periodically with the FEL, grows to a massive 6’x6’x24’ and yet miraculously by Memorial Day I have used it all. The best part is that my neighbors are so thankful that I am taking it (so they don’t have to dump it in a corner of their pastures), that they deliver it for free!

[AmarachAcres]

This is a great suggestion. Ironically I compost THEN spread my manure. Some of the compost is used in gardens or goes to friends, so it is the best of both worlds.

Plus, composting first helps kill worms/eggs/weed seeds that make it through the horses.

[QUOTE=Anjou;7762658]
I apologize if my reply is a bit off topice, but I do tend to think outside the box… way outside. I also have a JD 2305 with a 48" FEL. It’s an indispensable addition to any farm. I do not currently have horses, or any other livestock, but I am responsible for handling the manure from 8-10 horses. What I am suggesting is that you convert manure into a value added product that you could use on your land or even sell. I hot compost mine (at 170°F) and let me tell you 10 horses generate a LOT of manure in half a year, but, through microbial action and heat, you can reduce the volume by half and eliminate any weed seeds. In the end, you get many cubic yards of compost, which can be used in the garden or as mulch. I have also learned that if you set a few cubic yards aside and introduce a handfull of worms, before long you have a nice worm bed and lots of vermicompost (and worms you can sell). Just be sure to wait for the heat to drop below 100°F before adding any worms or you’ll cook them. Every winter, my manure pile, which I turn periodically with the FEL, grows to a massive 6’x6’x24’ and yet miraculously by Memorial Day I have used it all. The best part is that my neighbors are so thankful that I am taking it (so they don’t have to dump it in a corner of their pastures), that they deliver it for free![/QUOTE]

[goodhors]

Just know that if you go the composting route, that ground drive spreader won’t work for putting fresh manure into a pile. That is a PTO spreader job.

I do not compost because my fields need the organic matter from bedding to “lighten” the soil which is partly clay. Getting all those little pieces down into the clay opens it up for better drainage, root spreading of the grass plants, micro organisms needed to have good soil. It is in a constant state of breaking down the organic matter to use it as food and energy for the things in the soil, so the organic parts (sawdust, manure, old hay pieces, cut grass) need to be constantly replenished with more spreading on the land.

Composting is great, but for me it reduces my organic matter to almost nothing for field spreading. Works better here, to not compost and have the much larger quantity of organic matter working into the soil.

[King_s_Ransom]

I got a quote today from ABI for a couple of different spreaders. With shipping (at more than $500!), they are coming in close to $4,000! :eek:

I’ve checked all of the local farm stores and no one has anything in stock, so I would be paying shipping on anything I buy new. A little leery of buying used because I don’t know what I’m doing here and am not mechanically inclined.

Any advice on finding a spreader that will not break the bank?

[Bluey]

[QUOTE=goodhors;7763570]
Just know that if you go the composting route, that ground drive spreader won’t work for putting fresh manure into a pile. That is a PTO spreader job.

I do not compost because my fields need the organic matter from bedding to “lighten” the soil which is partly clay. Getting all those little pieces down into the clay opens it up for better drainage, root spreading of the grass plants, micro organisms needed to have good soil. It is in a constant state of breaking down the organic matter to use it as food and energy for the things in the soil, so the organic parts (sawdust, manure, old hay pieces, cut grass) need to be constantly replenished with more spreading on the land.

Composting is great, but for me it reduces my organic matter to almost nothing for field spreading. Works better here, to not compost and have the much larger quantity of organic matter working into the soil.[/QUOTE]

That is what most do here, spread directly from the stalls/runs to the fields and pastures.
We don’t spread in horse pastures, but cattle pastures.

I only know of one stable that composts and spreads twice a year.

There is another stable that horses are 1/2 day in on runs under a long shed and they only clean out piled up manure with their FEL into a spreader and spread directly, but that is partially composted on the spot manure.

Each area has different needs, check those of yours out.

[RiderWriter]

OP (and Amaranch), many people ask your question about ground drive vs. PTO manure spreaders. They also ask what size spreader they need, what type, what options are available, etc. To help answer these questions and more, Millcreek has just published a series of videos on YouTube on “Spreader Selection.” They are specifically designed to help shoppers decide what they need. I encourage you to check these out!

Here’s the link to the video on PTO vs. Ground Drive: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6cGXuBtwqwA&sns=em

I hope this (and the other videos) are helpful. Please contact the company for details on pricing. Millcreek has a large network of distributors, and is dedicated to superior customer service. A spreader is an important and significant investment for your farm, so you want to be sure to get one you’ll be happy with!

[x]

I have used both a ground driven and a PTO spreader. You can get a much larger volume spreader with PTO. PTO can empty it off in a pile in one place if need be. Ground drive, however, can be pulled by anything. I used a PTO spreader when I had a tractor, and used a ground drive spreader when I switched to a draft team on the farm. Both have their advantages and disadvantages.

[winter]

This is so interesting about spreading directly without composting… Can someone explain to me the difference? I am currently shopping for a spreader and have been composting for the last year and a half. I planned to spread every few months as I got more compost. Spreading directly out of the barn every few days would save having a big pile that I then have to move with the FEL.

I live in a very cold climate so don’t think spreading directly would work in winter? I am thinking too much snow to drive around the fields and the manure would just sit on top of the snow? There is a large part of the spring that it is too wet here to get into any of the fields or paddocks with any machinery, so I definitely woudln’t be able to do that for at least a month in the spring.
Maybe I could pile in the winter and spread directly in the summer?

It will make a difference in what spreader I get if it’s one that can fit in the barn aisle pulled by our gator or a bigger one for the tractor… We are doing 6-8 horses in stalls.

This has been very interesting, thanks!

[TrotTrotPumpkn]

[QUOTE=winter;7764447]
This is so interesting about spreading directly without composting… Can someone explain to me the difference? I am currently shopping for a spreader and have been composting for the last year and a half. I planned to spread every few months as I got more compost. Spreading directly out of the barn every few days would save having a big pile that I then have to move with the FEL.

I live in a very cold climate so don’t think spreading directly would work in winter? I am thinking too much snow to drive around the fields and the manure would just sit on top of the snow? There is a large part of the spring that it is too wet here to get into any of the fields or paddocks with any machinery, so I definitely woudln’t be able to do that for at least a month in the spring.
Maybe I could pile in the winter and spread directly in the summer?

It will make a difference in what spreader I get if it’s one that can fit in the barn aisle pulled by our gator or a bigger one for the tractor… We are doing 6-8 horses in stalls.

This has been very interesting, thanks![/QUOTE]

The biggest consideration, imo, is that the live manure will still have the parasite load.

Most people stockpile for the winter around here.

[jbonifas]

I love my ground drive manure spreader. I hook it to the 4 wheeler and off I go. During the winter or when I can’t get into the pastures to spread I either run up and down the driveway or pile it up and load it later. It will easily spread shavings, manure or hay. I have a 25 cu ft size and it’s perfect for my operation of 8 stalls. http://www.abiattachments.com/manure-spreader/abi-classic-manure-spreader/