Mill Creek 37+ Manure Spreader - Spokane Conservation District

2013
Manure Spreader
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Instructions
Improve animal
health
Enhance pasture
productivity
Protect water
quality
Reduce mud and
manure
Improve farm
efficiency
Spokane Conservation District
210 N. Havana
Spokane, WA 99202
(509) 535-7274
www.sccd.org
Instructions for UNLOADING the manure spreader from the trailer
1. DO NOT disconnect the trailer from the vehicle before unloading the manure spreader.
Shifting and tipping of the trailer can occur and may result in personal injury or
damage to equipment or vehicles. Once the spreader has been unloaded from the trailer,
you can disconnect the trailer from the vehicle.
2. Take the wheel ramps resting on the trailer and hook them to the end of the trailer.
There are bolt holes in the ramps, U-channel, and the trailer. The bolts must be in place
before the spreader is offloaded, the two short bolts go in the wheel ramps and the longer
bolt in the U-channel. Place the U-channel ramp in the center of the wheel ramps and
secure with the bolt to the trailer. This center ramp is for the tongue wheel.
U-channel
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3. Hook up the winch control in the box at the front of the trailer. The three pin connector
to the hand control fits into the box mounted on the side of the trailer box near the
battery. Place the control in the trailer near the winch.
4. Unhook the rear straps first and set aside. Unhook the front straps and set aside. The
straps are attached to the trailer and should just lie to the side.
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5. Check that the tongue wheel is facing back when removing the spreader. Using the
winch control in reverse, slowly push the spreader down the ramps. Be sure the clutch is
engaged when removing the spreader. Do not extend the winch cable past the orange
cable. Be sure the tongue wheel enters the U-channel properly.
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6. Once the spreader is on the ground, put the jack down using the crank on the top of the
jack. Pull the pin still holding the front of the spreader to the winch. Be sure to replace
the pin. If you are not moving the trailer, the ramps can stay deployed, otherwise place
all three ramps on the trailer and replace the bolts into the holes in the trailer.
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Instructions for LOADING the manure spreader onto the trailer
1. Take the wheel ramps and U-channel if they were unhooked and hook them to the back of the
trailer. Manually maneuver the spreader in line with the trailer and line up the trailer and
spreader so you can attach the winch line to the spreader tongue pin. Be sure the spreader wheels
are lined up to the center of the ramps and the tongue wheel is in the U-channel.
U-channel
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3. Winch the spreader into the trailer until the wheels hit the wheel blocks on the trailer bed. Do
not winch the cable past the stop bracket on the cable.
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3. Put the back tie downs on first and then the front tie downs. Put the wheel ramps and Uchannel back onto the trailer. Close the rear doors, hook up all trailer lights and tow chains.
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MANURE SPREADER OPERATION
You should already have a soil evaluation that helped you determine the amount of composted
manure to apply to your crop or pasture. It is time to load up the spreader with material and get it
on the ground, provided the conditions are right.
Frozen Conditions:
Manure should never be spread on frozen or snow-covered ground. Because the nutrients in
compost/manure cannot be incorporated into frozen soil, there is a high potential for water
contamination by way of surface runoff during snowmelt. Up to one-third of fall and winterapplied nitrogen may be lost due to denitrification, volatilization, leaching and surface runoff
during the spring thaw.
The best conditions for spreading composted manure on pastures is during the growing season
(May to September) when grasses are actively growing. Keep in mind that spreading fresh, uncomposted manure on pastures may carry the risk of re-infesting your horse with intestinal
parasites.
Avoid spreading manure over the same area year after year without soil sampling. Over
application of manure may adversely affect forage and crop yield, and an accumulation of excess
nutrients is a potential water pollution hazard.
Manure is typically spread using a manure spreader. The alternative is quite labor intensive
depending on how much manure needs to be spread. Spreading can be done by carrying the
manure out to the field with wheelbarrow or truck and then dumping it. Regardless of how the
manure is spread, it is important to harrow or cultivate soon after the manure is applied, to break
up the clumps and spread the manure uniformly across the field.
If spreading manure on cropland, apply and incorporate the manure into the soil just before
seeding. Some crops, such as alfalfa, may benefit from additional applications of manure
throughout the growing season.
To avoid contaminating the water supply, manure should be spread at least 100 feet (30 meters)
from any surface water or well.
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