A manure spreader turns a cost into fertiliser. Spread it evenly at the right rate and you feed the crop and cut your fertiliser bill. Spread it badly and you get burnt strips, bare strips and nutrients washing into the ditch.
Most of the spreader problems I hear about come down to three things: the wrong machine for the material, no idea of the real application rate, and chains or hammers run past their life. This guide covers the main manure spreader types, how to size one with real numbers, calibration, how to choose, the common mistakes, maintenance and the questions people ask us most.
What a manure spreader does
A solid manure spreader carries manure, bedding, pen pack or compost from the yard to the field and throws it out in an even layer. A floor chain or augers move the load to the beaters or expeller, which break it up and spread it.
Manure comes in three broad forms:
- Solid: bedded pack, pen pack, feedlot and kraal manure, compost, poultry litter.
- Semi-solid: wetter dairy manure that still holds some shape.
- Liquid: slurry with low solids, which goes in a tanker, not a box spreader.
This guide is about solid and semi-solid manure, which is what box and side discharge spreaders handle.
Manure spreader types
### Horizontal beater spreader
Beaters across the back of the box break manure up and drop it behind. The pattern is narrow, usually not much wider than the spreader, so you need tight passes to avoid gaps. Simple and common on older and smaller machines.
### Vertical beater spreader (rear discharge)
Two upright beaters at the back shred the load and throw it wide behind and to the sides. You get a wide, thin, even pattern, which makes uniform rates much easier. Vertical beaters handle pen pack, bedding, compost, feedlot manure and poultry litter well.
LEO builds the 80 Series rear discharge vertical beater spreaders, with a spread width of 25 to 50 ft.
### Side discharge spreader
Augers in a hopper move manure to an expeller on the side, which throws it out to one side. A side discharge spreader holds wet manure without it running out the back, and lets you spread along fence lines, roadsides and berms without overshoot.
LEO builds the 20 Series side discharge manure spreaders with a stainless steel hopper and expeller on every model.
### Liquid tankers
For slurry you need a tanker with a splash plate, drop hoses or injection. That’s a separate machine class and outside this guide.
For a head-to-head on the two LEO designs see rear discharge vs side discharge manure spreaders and vertical beater vs horizontal beater spreaders.
Match the spreader to your manure
| Material | Best fit |
|---|---|
| Wet dairy manure | Side discharge |
| Bedded pack, pen pack | Vertical beater rear discharge |
| Feedlot or kraal manure | Vertical beater rear discharge |
| Compost | Vertical beater rear discharge |
| Poultry litter | Vertical beater, litter shield option |
If you spread several materials, pick for the one you spread most. More detail in manure spreader for solid vs wet manure.
Manure spreader sizes: LEO models side by side
### 80 Series rear discharge, twin vertical beaters
| Model | Capacity | Minimum tractor |
|---|---|---|
| 8012 | 12 m³ / about 423 bu | about 80 HP |
| 8015 | 15 m³ / about 529 bu | about 100 HP |
| 8018 | 18 m³ / about 635 bu | about 120 HP |
| 8022 | 22 m³ / about 776 bu | about 150 HP |
All 80 Series models use Grade 80 3/4 inch (18 mm) mining chain on the floor, 45 degree replaceable beater paddles, reversible AR beater tips and hydraulic variable speed floor control.
### 20 Series side discharge
| Model | Capacity | Minimum tractor | Drive |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1006 | 3,700 L / about 978 gal | about 70 HP | Single auger |
| 1008 | Contact LEO | about 90 HP | Single auger |
| 2010 | 10,000 L / 2,640 gal | about 110 HP | Dual auger |
| 2012 | 3,200 gal | Contact LEO | Dual auger |
| 2014 | Contact LEO | Contact LEO | Dual auger |
| 2016 | 16,000 L / about 4,200 gal | Contact LEO | Dual auger |
Check the side discharge page for the latest model specs or ask us.
How to size a manure spreader
- Work out how much manure you move a year, or per clean out.
- Count trips. Divide by spreader capacity to see how many loads you’re signing up for.
- Look at haul distance. Long hauls favour bigger boxes. Short hauls with a fast loader can work fine with a smaller box.
- Match your loader. A box that takes too many buckets slows everything down. See matching a manure spreader to your loader.
- Check your tractor against the minimum HP.
- Think about soil. A big full spreader is heavy on wet fields.
More in how to size a manure spreader.
Calibrating your manure spreader
You can’t manage nutrients if you don’t know the rate.
- Weigh a full load on a scale, or use load cells.
- Spread the full load in a normal pattern.
- Measure the length and width covered to get the area.
- Divide weight by area to get your rate.
- Adjust floor speed, gate height or ground speed and repeat until you hit your target.
On the 80 Series, hydraulic variable speed floor control lets you set 5 to 30+ tons per acre from the seat. With the optional Athene ISOBUS spread rate controller and load cells, available on the 8012 to 8022, the floor speed adjusts to hold your target rate and you get GPS as-applied maps. Step by step method: manure spreader calibration.
Spread width and overlap
Drive at the width that gives even overlap between passes. A pattern is usually heaviest in the middle and lighter at the edges, so you overlap the edges. LEO 80 Series vertical beaters spread 25 to 50 ft wide. See manure spreader spread width.
How to choose a manure spreader
Ask yourself:
- What material do I spread most?
- How many loads a year?
- What tractor will pull it?
- Do I need to spread along fence lines, roads or berms?
- Do I need rate records for a nutrient plan?
- How much time can I spend on maintenance?
Then compare build quality:
- Hopper and panels. Every 20 Series has a stainless hopper, expeller and expeller shroud. The 2010 to 2016 add stainless on the expeller throat, side walls and front and rear panels. See stainless steel manure spreader.
- Chain. The 80 Series runs Grade 80 3/4 inch mining chain. The 2010 to 2016 use #120 chain in the top and lower auger positions, all in a sealed oil bath.
- Hammers and tips. The 20 Series uses a hardfaced, fabricated hammer with a square tip on a 22 inch swing diameter. The 80 Series uses reversible AR beater tips. See manure spreader hammers and expellers.
Rear discharge or side discharge: a quick decision guide
If you’re stuck between the two LEO designs, run through this:
- Mostly bedded pack, pen pack, compost or feedlot manure? Go rear discharge vertical beater. It shreds fibrous loads and throws a wide pattern.
- Mostly wet dairy manure? Go side discharge. The hopper holds it and the augers meter it to the expeller.
- Spreading along fence rows, roads and berms a lot? Side discharge lets you place manure to one side without overshoot.
- Want rate control and as-applied maps? The 80 Series can be ordered ISOBUS ready with the optional Athene controller and load cells.
- Haul forage or snow in the off season? The 80 Series beater assemblies are removable, which turns the box into a live floor trailer.
- Spread a lot of stony kraal or feedlot manure? The 80 Series uses 45 degree paddles, which deflect rocks instead of taking a full hit.
What a good spreading day looks like
- Check chain tension and grease before you load.
- Load evenly, not piled at one end.
- Set floor speed and ground speed for your target rate.
- Run your first pass along a straight edge so you have a guide line.
- Drive at your measured spreading width.
- Look back after a few passes. If you can see wheel tracks or stripes, adjust.
- Wash the machine out at the end of the day, especially before it sits.
Common manure spreader mistakes
- Never calibrating. Guessing the rate wastes nutrients and money.
- Wrong machine for the material, like wet manure in a box that leaks it out the back.
- Driving too wide, leaving light strips between passes.
- Running a loose or stretched chain until it breaks mid-season.
- Running worn hammers or tips, which shortens the pattern.
- Parking it full and dirty for the winter.
- Spreading on frozen or saturated ground, which raises runoff risk.
Manure spreader maintenance basics
- Every day in use: check chain tension, look for broken slats, clear wrapped straw, check guards and PTO shaft.
- Weekly in season: grease, check hammers or beater tips, check tyres and hubs.
- End of season: wash out completely, grease, check oil bath levels, inspect bearings, store under cover.
See manure spreader winter storage and muck spreader maintenance.
Nutrient management
Even spreading at a known rate is what makes manure pay. Test the manure, set a rate per field and keep records. Read manure spreader nutrient management.
Manure spreader FAQ
### What are the main types of manure spreader?
Horizontal beater, vertical beater (rear discharge) and side discharge for solid manure, plus tankers for liquid manure.
### Which manure spreader gives the most even spread?
Vertical beater spreaders give a wide, thin pattern that makes even rates easier. The LEO 80 Series spreads 25 to 50 ft wide.
### What spreader is best for wet manure?
A side discharge spreader holds wet manure in the hopper and meters it to the expeller, so it’s usually the best fit.
### What size manure spreader do I need?
Work from how much manure you move, haul distance, loader and tractor. LEO rear discharge models run from 12 m³ to 22 m³ and side discharge from 3,700 L to 16,000 L.
### How do I calibrate a manure spreader?
Weigh a load, spread it, measure the area, divide weight by area and adjust until you hit the target rate.
### How much horsepower do I need?
On LEO models, from about 70 HP for the 1006 side discharge to about 150 HP for the 8022 rear discharge.
### Is a stainless steel spreader worth it?
If you spread often, stainless contact surfaces resist the acid in manure and usually last much longer.
### What does a manure spreader cost?
It depends on type, size, build and options. See how much does a manure spreader cost.
Next step: get the right LEO manure spreader
Look at the LEO 80 Series rear discharge and the LEO 20 Series side discharge manure spreaders. Then find a dealer or contact us. Tell us what you spread and how much, and we’ll help you pick the right one.
