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Storing manure in spreader

I have my 2 horses at home and use an older model Millcreek spreader to spread the manure out in the pasture. My current routine is to fill four muck buckets and when they are full I dump them into the spreader, hook up to the four-wheeler and go out to the pasture to spread. I do this twice a week. I live in an arid desert type area so the manure dries quickly. I’m looking for ways to simplify my routine. My question is can I bypass the muck buckets and dump directly into the spreader and let the manure sit until it’s full? I really like my manure spreader and hope to have it for many more years. Could manure sitting in the spreader cause it to degrade quicker?

YES. 100% absolutely yes. Store in buckets, or spread everyday.

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This x 100^^^

Wash it out periodically as well. Nothing will rot out the bed faster than constant manure. Store it under roof when not spreading if you can.

Well, I’ll be the dissenting voice here…for years, since 1993 I think. I have stored manure in a manure spreader. When it was multiple horses, it was filled and dumped within weeks. When it dropped to one horse living outside it was filled over the winter and then dumped. These days, it sits empty, because while I’m back up to three I’ve changed how things are done. But the fact is from 1993 to 2017 that New Idea manure spreader always had manure stored in it.
Now it is a very, very good spreader. And it was always parked so that it wouldn’t collect water (that is very important) I’m sure I can I’ve shortened its life somewhat…but not much.

I agree with BandB. While it will eat away at your manure spreader over time, the rate at which it will do that is so slow that I would not be particularly concerned about it. I’ve seen other people do this and as long as you maintain your spreader, it should last a couple decades at least, especially in a arid climate. If it makes your life easier and you’re not looking to pass your manure spreader down to your grandkids, go for it.

I guess I’ll also be the dissenting opinion… I don’t use a spreader, I have a smallish dump trailer that I fill from the wheelbarrow daily (two dry stalls, two bedded stalls but one doesn’t get used for potty, one run out) and a gal mucks my 1/3 acre sacrifice paddock weekly, so it generally gets dumped every week to two weeks. Manure sits in it otherwise, rain, shine, or other. I’ve been doing this for about six years. So far nothing. Yes I know they are different but if after six years in the PNWet my dump trailer is still going strong, I think in an arid climate you are probably fine.

I would use the equipment in a way that makes your life easier, and simply budget for new equipment when it wears out. It’s there to serve you, not the other way around.
In your arid climate, I doubt you’ll be dramatically shortening the equipment life.

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