SPREADING TIPS

TIP 12: You Can Have Too Much

dave — Fri, 02 Feb 2007 16:49:24 +0000

Excessive application rates can turn a valuable commodity into an environmental liability. Avoid wasted resources and prevent environmental damage by applying manure at a rate your crops can use.

TIP 11: Prevent Soil Compaction

dave — Fri, 02 Feb 2007 16:48:55 +0000

Today’s large spreaders can be a major cause of soil compaction. Truck tires, with their rigid construction and high inflation pressures just compound the problem. Traditional low-pressure tire solutions reduce soil compaction but have limited capacity for road travel. Hydra-Spread offers a range of low-pressure Traction Implement Tires engineered for low compaction and road travel.

TIP 10: Wear a Diaper

dave — Fri, 02 Feb 2007 16:48:30 +0000

Beater pans are not just for semi-solids. In any spreading operation a small amount of manure can pass under the beater and fall to the ground. A beater pan ensures that all the manure is picked up and thrown by the beater.

TIP 9: Rev It Up

dave — Fri, 02 Feb 2007 16:48:03 +0000

Like most PTO-operated equipment Hydra-Spread is designed to work at full rated speed (540 / 1000) Lower operating speeds reduce beater/manure contact and can hamper spreading performance.

TIP 8: Excessive Heaping

dave — Fri, 02 Feb 2007 16:47:28 +0000

Your spreader can’t spread what the beaters can’t touch. Manure heaped high above the beaters may simply fall over the back of the spreader without ever touching a beater.

TIP 7: Pack it For Finer Spreading

dave — Fri, 02 Feb 2007 16:46:51 +0000

Packing the load contributes to finer more uniform spreading. Picture a clump of manure sitting on your open hand. If you strike that lump it will be tossed but, probably, not broken. Try it again with your fingers curled around the clump. With something to hold it the clump will be torn apart. Packing the load has the same effect—the packed manure holds onto lumps while the beater shreds them.

TIP 6: Pack it For More Uniform Unloading

dave — Fri, 02 Feb 2007 16:46:25 +0000

Packing the load eliminates air spaces and contributes to more uniform unloading. Air pockets in the load will be compressed by the pushoff cycle before the manure actually starts to move. Eliminating air pockets at loading increases the capacity of your spreader and saves unloading time.

TIP 5: Match Your Equipment

dave — Fri, 02 Feb 2007 16:45:41 +0000

Whether your application calls for an ExtraVert (vertical) or a RipGrip (horizontal) the right equipment can enhance the safety and efficiency of your manure spreading chores. Be sure to use a tractor with sufficient power, weight and braking capacity to safely tow and control the spreader and still have PTO and hydraulic capacity to power the spreader.

TIP 4: It’s an Asset

dave — Fri, 02 Feb 2007 16:45:14 +0000

Crop scientists rate the value of manure at $100. to $200. for a mid-sized load. Even on a small farm that adds up to thousands of dollars per year. On larger farms it’s tens of thousands. Today’s leading edge farmers count the value of manure as part of their total farm output.

TIP 3: Who Would Have Guessed?

dave — Fri, 02 Feb 2007 16:26:20 +0000

A 1908 ad for “The Smith Great Western Endless Apron Manure Spreader” refers to United States Bulletin No 192 stating the per annum value of manure produced on U.S farms to be $2,352,700. (that’s 2.35 billion) and asserts that manure, properly applied, can produce a gain of $4. to $8. per acre over poorly applied manure.

TIP 2: Use It All

dave — Fri, 02 Feb 2007 16:24:39 +0000

Managing your manure resource means applying manure at a rate the soil can store and plants can use. Whether you need an application that is practically invisible on the ground or one that is six inches deep Hydra-Spread can do the job.

TIP 1: It’s a Valuable Resource

dave — Fri, 02 Feb 2007 16:12:37 +0000

Solid manure is a rich and valuable source of plant nutrients and soil-building organic matter. With precise control of unloading speed and spread widths to 40 feet Hydra-Spread lets you choose and control application rates for optimum utilization of your manure resource.