Viewing a thread - Hauling manure 6 miles - semi trailer, or tractor and spreader?

Forums | Classifieds (134) | Skins | Language

You are logged in as a guest. ( logon | register )

Hauling manure 6 miles - semi trailer, or tractor and spreader?	View previous thread :: View next thread
Forums List -> Stock Talk	Message format

olivetroad

Posted 1/4/2025 19:56 (#11041278)
Subject: Hauling manure 6 miles - semi trailer, or tractor and spreader?

Kingdom of Callaway - Fulton, Mo 65251

I have a farm that is 6.2 miles away from where my cattle are fed. We have not finished fencing that farm, and until we do, we will continue to row crop and chop silage on it. I am out of room on the cattle farm to spread manure as my P and K levels are plenty high, and I'm not wanting to spread where I'm going to calve.

I have a road tractor and push off trailer I can haul with and stockpile it at the farm where it will be spread, or should I just load it on my spreader and haul it and spread it at the same time if weather conditions allow?

At what point, or number of miles, does it make sense to haul it and handle it twice with a truck, versus just loading it once on a spreader and hauling with a tractor?

I guess I could also consider buying a truck mounted manure spreader?

vbfarms88

Posted 1/4/2025 20:10 (#11041313 - in reply to #11041278)
Subject: RE: Hauling manure 6 miles - semi trailer, or tractor and spreader?

It seems to take forever to get anything done when hauling manure if we drive more than a mile loaded. We have switched to stockpiling anything over that distance with both trucks and tractor wagons. I wouldn’t even consider a six mile haul. Just stockpile and reload.

seagram

Posted 1/4/2025 20:33 (#11041343 - in reply to #11041278)
Subject: RE: Hauling manure 6 miles - semi trailer, or tractor and spreader?

ne iowa

Buy a tandem dump truck and stockpile

Kooiker

Posted 1/4/2025 20:37 (#11041349 - in reply to #11041278)
Subject: RE: Hauling manure 6 miles - semi trailer, or tractor and spreader?

Guys here wouldn't even blink to haul manure 6 miles with a side dump. Stock pile in the field until the ground is froze, then get it spread before the ground thaws out.

But you probably don't freeze the ground very hard very often down there.

Green Acres Guy

Posted 1/4/2025 20:57 (#11041385 - in reply to #11041278)
Subject: RE: Hauling manure 6 miles - semi trailer, or tractor and spreader?

Latimer, Iowa (north central)

Depends on the size of your spreader and the size of your truck, the top speed of your tractor, tons you are dealing with, field conditions, and what labor and equipment is available at the time. We will generally haul dry manure up to 5-6 miles if not in a hurry with the tractor. If we already have piles to spread we will keep the spreader in the field spreading and haul with the sidedump. Our dry spreader holds the same as a side dump semi (30 ton or so) and tractor goes 33 mph. Our liquid manure will get hauled up to 8 miles with the same tractor and 10,000 gallon liquid tanks. If not many tons its hard to justify a truck... Sometimes if the field is wet we will stockpile the manure up to 3 miles from a field on yards with concrete and then haul them later with the spreader.

crossbredFARMER

Posted 1/4/2025 21:12 (#11041415 - in reply to #11041278)
Subject: RE: Hauling manure 6 miles - semi trailer, or tractor and spreader?

Southern Wisco

I vote spreader truck. Saves handling it twice. We have three slingers on trucks move a lot of manure down the road with them.

(IMG_2464 (full).jpeg)

Attachments
----------------

IMG_2464 (full).jpeg (152KB - 3 downloads)

Angus8335

Posted 1/4/2025 21:23 (#11041433 - in reply to #11041278)
Subject: RE: Hauling manure 6 miles - semi trailer, or tractor and spreader?

Galena IL

I vote side dump semi trailer also. No leaking, no latch coming open. One of the best purchases I made..... Dennis

Edit to add. More importantly no tipping over

Edited by Angus8335 1/4/2025 21:24

olivetroad

Posted 1/4/2025 22:25 (#11041516 - in reply to #11041433)
Subject: RE: Hauling manure 6 miles - semi trailer, or tractor and spreader?

Kingdom of Callaway - Fulton, Mo 65251

Angus8335 - 1/4/2025 21:23

I vote side dump semi trailer also. No leaking, no latch coming open. One of the best purchases I made..... Dennis

Edit to add. More importantly no tipping over

Hi Dennis,

Can you haul silage in your side dump?

Angus8335

Posted 1/5/2025 01:02 (#11041601 - in reply to #11041516)
Subject: RE: Hauling manure 6 miles - semi trailer, or tractor and spreader?

Galena IL

Sure can. A lot of truckers bolt plywood to the right side for bigger loads. Since I bought the side dump my belt trailer don’t get near as much use.... Dennis

Green Acres Guy

Posted 1/5/2025 09:11 (#11041855 - in reply to #11041601)
Subject: RE: Hauling manure 6 miles - semi trailer, or tractor and spreader?

Latimer, Iowa (north central)

We have the low right hand extension on our trailer, they make a high extension as well.

With your operation you would really like having a sidedump around. The semi tractor on the sidedump gets more miles than the tractors on hoppers for us by a fair bit. Seems like always something to haul and much better margins than hoppers.

Edited by Green Acres Guy 1/5/2025 09:15

(image (full).jpg)

Attachments
----------------

image (full).jpg (180KB - 3 downloads)

Iowa-beef

Posted 1/5/2025 19:04 (#11042821 - in reply to #11041855)
Subject: RE: Hauling manure 6 miles - semi trailer, or tractor and spreader?

Does the tarp being above the extensions bother you? I'd have manure piled on top of it I'm afraid

olivetroad

Posted 1/5/2025 13:20 (#11042291 - in reply to #11041601)
Subject: RE: Hauling manure 6 miles - semi trailer, or tractor and spreader?

Kingdom of Callaway - Fulton, Mo 65251

Angus8335 - 1/5/2025 01:02

Sure can. A lot of truckers bolt plywood to the right side for bigger loads. Since I bought the side dump my belt trailer don’t get near as much use.... Dennis

Dennis, what brand do you recommend and what size/options do you prefer?

auctioneerajb

Posted 1/4/2025 21:53 (#11041483 - in reply to #11041278)
Subject: RE: Hauling manure 6 miles - semi trailer, or tractor and spreader?

Alot of questions to ask yourself.
How many loads a day when spreading?
How much help is available?
If you spread as you haul, you're prolly looking at 1-1/2 hours per load by the time you load, drive to field, spread, and go back. (Depending on tractor road speed). That can chew through a day pretty quickly.
When its time to spread the stockpile ,will you have time to spread it without sacrificing other more time sensitive tasks(like planting)?
All that road time is going to kill tires pretty quick.
If your going to regularly spread on this other farm, maybe a spreader truck would've the way to go. Haul, spread and done. Use tractor and spreader if it gets too wet for the truck.

Mitchco

Posted 1/5/2025 04:39 (#11041636 - in reply to #11041278)
Subject: RE: Hauling manure 6 miles - semi trailer, or tractor and spreader?

SW OH

I clean my cow lot before big rains and whenever it gets so deep and haul out the pack once during the winter. With my homemade dump trailer pulled by a tractor it's 2-4 loads every few weeks and about 10 for the pack inside. My stockpile is only about 500 feet away. It gets spread no more than 2,000 feet from the pile. I used to use a spreader but dumping in a pile and spreading later is much better for me. No way I'd haul 6 miles with the spreader.

Mitchco

Haleiwa

Posted 1/5/2025 08:08 (#11041774 - in reply to #11041278)
Subject: RE: Hauling manure 6 miles - semi trailer, or tractor and spreader?

West Chazy, New York

In my experience, the biggest downside to stockpiling is the risk of a long wet spell in the spring. You can really do a lot of damage trying to load your spreader in the corner of a muddy field.

Kooiker

Posted 1/5/2025 08:12 (#11041779 - in reply to #11041774)
Subject: RE: Hauling manure 6 miles - semi trailer, or tractor and spreader?

Haleiwa - 1/5/2025 08:08 In my experience, the biggest downside to stockpiling is the risk of a long wet spell in the spring. You can really do a lot of damage trying to load your spreader in the corner of a muddy field.

Why would you spread stockpile in the spring? Wait til fall when its drier or better yet, wait til December when the ground is froze.

Haygrower

Posted 1/5/2025 08:39 (#11041809 - in reply to #11041779)
Subject: RE: Hauling manure 6 miles - semi trailer, or tractor and spreader?

Arthur IL

This is a ongoing debate here. We haul a lot of manure 5 to 5 and 1/2 mi away. I have done it both ways and if I figure total hours we can do it just as fast hauling it with a spreader, it helps that are spreader is a decent size. One of the biggest drawbacks of stockpiling is making a atrocious Mess on the ends and because I don't want the public seeing a manure pile all summer I refuse to have a stockpile for long at all. So most of it ends up being hauled with the spreader.

olivetroad

Posted 1/5/2025 13:18 (#11042288 - in reply to #11041809)
Subject: RE: Hauling manure 6 miles - semi trailer, or tractor and spreader?

Kingdom of Callaway - Fulton, Mo 65251

Haygrower - 1/5/2025 08:39

This is a ongoing debate here. We haul a lot of manure 5 to 5 and 1/2 mi away. I have done it both ways and if I figure total hours we can do it just as fast hauling it with a spreader, it helps that are spreader is a decent size. One of the biggest drawbacks of stockpiling is making a atrocious Mess on the ends and because I don't want the public seeing a manure pile all summer I refuse to have a stockpile for long at all. So most of it ends up being hauled with the spreader.

Hi John,

My spreader is a Meyers VB280. I use it here with a Cat 55 track tractor. I would buy a different tractor and maybe a larger spreader if I started roading it a lot. Do you ever wish yours was truck mounted? We like dealing with the folks at EZ-Trail by you.

Red Paint

Posted 1/5/2025 12:28 (#11042193 - in reply to #11041779)
Subject: RE: Hauling manure 6 miles - semi trailer, or tractor and spreader?

SW “Ohia”

Kooiker - 1/5/2025 08:12

Why would you spread stockpile in the spring? Wait til fall when its drier or better yet, wait til December when the ground is froze.

Might want to have logistical backups for manure management beyond relying on frozen ground. Long term, not looking to be the most viable thing, the way regulations are headed.

Moose333

Posted 1/6/2025 09:33 (#11043499 - in reply to #11042193)
Subject: RE: Hauling manure 6 miles - semi trailer, or tractor and spreader?

NW Wisconsin

X2 Just because you can do it doesnt mean you should... Fall or spring but NEVER when the ground is froze...

Kooiker

Posted 1/6/2025 09:38 (#11043508 - in reply to #11043499)
Subject: RE: Hauling manure 6 miles - semi trailer, or tractor and spreader?

Moose333 - 1/6/2025 09:33 X2 Just because you can do it doesnt mean you should... Fall or spring but NEVER when the ground is froze...

Why? What is different spreading on top of frozen ground vs spreading a week prior and leaving it lay on top of the ground?

I'm talking about solid feedlot manure, not liquid.

In Iowa we can not apply liquid manure on snow covered or frozen ground but the DNR has absolutely no problem with cattle guys hauling solid manure during that time of the year.

Mitchco

Posted 1/6/2025 09:55 (#11043528 - in reply to #11043508)
Subject: RE: Hauling manure 6 miles - semi trailer, or tractor and spreader?

SW OH

About 10 years ago the state of Ohio passed regulations prohibiting surface manure spreading when the ground is frozen, snow covered, or a 50% or greater chance of rain in the next 24 hours, or if the ground is already wet, nor between December 15th and March 1st without written consent from the state in the watershed areas of Lake Erie and St. Marys.

https://codes.ohio.gov/ohio-administrative-code/rule-901:13-1-11

Mitchco

JD1990

Posted 1/5/2025 10:36 (#11042011 - in reply to #11041278)
Subject: RE: Hauling manure 6 miles - semi trailer, or tractor and spreader?

NE KS

Buy a side dump trailer. Holds more than a spreader and can clean pens faster Reload and spread

olivetroad

Posted 1/5/2025 13:09 (#11042266 - in reply to #11042011)
Subject: RE: Hauling manure 6 miles - semi trailer, or tractor and spreader?

Kingdom of Callaway - Fulton, Mo 65251

JD1990 - 1/5/2025 10:36

Buy a side dump trailer. Holds more than a spreader and can clean pens faster Reload and spread

Hello Kevin,

What brands do you recommend for a used side dump? What are the hydraulic requirements to run one? I see some that will dump on either side. Is that necessary?

bsfarms

Posted 1/5/2025 13:55 (#11042348 - in reply to #11041278)
Subject: RE: Hauling manure 6 miles - semi trailer, or tractor and spreader?

south central WI

We haul and stockpile with silage trucks or wagons, depending on what's available and who can haul. We run larger boxes (24-28' widebodies) so they can haul 2-3 spreaders worth at a time. With a tractor hauling silage, it is about a 50 min round trip, so would be the same with spreader. Getting 3 loads of manure in 50 minutes vs 1 makes reloading seem like a no brainer.

(20200728_125236 (full).jpg)

Attachments
----------------

20200728_125236 (full).jpg (175KB - 2 downloads)

Jon

Posted 1/5/2025 16:34 (#11042592 - in reply to #11042348)
Subject: RE: Hauling manure 6 miles - semi trailer, or tractor and spreader?

Callao Missouri

Yeah no thanks. I manage to bust a floor chain, or a 100 drive chain every year just hauling silage. No way no how are you using my meyer trailer to haul poo.

(IMG_20240813_090916267 (full).jpg)

(IMG_20230824_195709106 (full).jpg)

Attachments
----------------

IMG_20240813_090916267 (full).jpg (160KB - 2 downloads)
Attachments

IMG_20230824_195709106 (full).jpg (176KB - 2 downloads)

Jason in MI

Posted 1/5/2025 23:02 (#11043127 - in reply to #11041278)
Subject: RE: Hauling manure 6 miles - semi trailer, or tractor and spreader?

Adrian MI

We've gone to hauling with semis, dumping in field and reloading into spreader. Truck tires are a lot cheaper then the big flotation spreader tires. Traffic is an issue with us. Trucks move quicker and don't impede traffic as much as a tractor and spreader running down the road. If we run 3 semis hauling and 1 guy in the field with a spreader and payloader. We can move a lot of manure in a day to fields 6-8 miles from the farm.

Jason

garvo

Posted 1/6/2025 06:15 (#11043240 - in reply to #11041278)
Subject: RE: Hauling manure 6 miles - semi trailer, or tractor and spreader?

western iowa,by Denison

We use a large wagon pulled by a 8400 john deere tractor, it holds 25-30 ton of manure, haul up to 10 miles-we can stockpile very easy with a hyd end gate and hyd box
seems the trucks get stuck, and we do not have a truck, we also use then to haul silage and feed ,we do have to clean them out after hauling manure-we stockpile usually from spring to fall and makes better manure and sometimes turn the pile with payloader

the manure spreader holds around 15 ton,we also sometimes stock pile with the spreader,the vertical beaters really make a nice pile

NDCat99

Posted 1/6/2025 08:52 (#11043435 - in reply to #11041278)
Subject: RE: Hauling manure 6 miles - semi trailer, or tractor and spreader?

E ND

It kind of depends on what the 6 miles are like and what kind of rounds you can make with one setup vs. the other. One straight 6 mile shot down the blacktop @ 55mph makes a truck seem really productive but a bunch of 1 mile runs to the next corner, gravel, hills, etc. you could just about keep up with a tractor.

I think over the big picture, hauling and stockpiling WHEN YOU WANT TO and spreading WHEN YOU CAN is the best option for the logistics of the feedlot and the logistics of the crop land past a couple of miles.

Loader hours and truck miles are pretty cheap, fast tractors pulling big spreaders are relatively expensive (depreciation, fuel, tires) so I think the economics are still better to reload. You do end up sacrificing a corner of the field and some risk of getting stuck getting in and out if conditions aren't great.

Gearclash

Posted 1/6/2025 10:20 (#11043563 - in reply to #11041278)
Subject: RE: Hauling manure 6 miles - Composting?

Sioux County, NWIA

Maybe composting before hauling would be a management option? Fewer tons of higher quality material to haul -- but it takes time and fuel to make the composting process happen. Doesn't take fancy equipment -- I use a 40 year old 35 hp skid steer to stir the pile.

garvo

Posted 1/6/2025 20:22 (#11044475 - in reply to #11043563)
Subject: RE: Hauling manure 6 miles - Composting?

western iowa,by Denison

Gearclash - 1/6/2025 10:20

Maybe composting before hauling would be a management option? Fewer tons of higher quality material to haul -- but it takes time and fuel to make the composting process happen. Doesn't take fancy equipment -- I use a 40 year old 35 hp skid steer to stir the pile.

we do this also-stockpile and then turn it before spreading-even 3weeks of a stockpile makes a big difference

Search this forum
Printer friendly version
E-mail a link to this thread

(Delete cookies)