Horse manure weight??

   / Horse manure weight?? #1  

Ezzrider

Bronze Member
Joined
Aug 14, 2009
Messages
92
Tractor
Kubota B7510
I realize this is a 2 wheeled tractor forum and I now own a BCS 715 2 wheeled tractor but I need some help on the weight of horse manure. I have access to free horse manure from a stable to use on my gardens. I own a single axle 6 1/2' x 12' trailer with 2' sides. That computes to 156 cubic feet of loadable space if loaded up to the 2' sides. A yard of manure is 27 cubic feet but I do not have a weight per yard for the horse manure and I realize that may vary due to moisture content and stall shavings. At 156 cubic feet of loadable space that computes to 5.78 cubic yard capacity (too much for a single axle trailer). I dropped off my trailer at the stables a week ago and hauled a load this morning with my trailer that was probably only loaded to 2/3 capacity. I only have to haul it less than 10 miles to my home but I did not think I was going to make it home. The tire were flatening out and the trailer was obviously overloaded. My single axle is rated at 3500 lbs but with a recommended load of around 2000 lbs. Does anyone know how much horse manure weighs per yard as I need to haul a lot more.
 
   / Horse manure weight?? #2  
I have a similar trailer and i also have hauled horse manure with some regularity.

I can tell you this. Even if reasonably cured, it is very, very heavy. If you have free access, do yourself and your trailer a favor and bring half loads, at least 'til you can judge the towing, braking and tailer capability. Why break a spring or blow a tire? It wouldn't be free manure then. :D
 
   / Horse manure weight?? #4  
This is going to depend a lot on the moisture content.

You can determine the density yourself for an investment of about $7.50.

Wally World sporting goods department sells a fish scale that will weigh 0-50lb. for about $5.

Either Homer Depot or Lowes will sell you a 5-gallon bucket for ~ $2.50.

Take a shovel, the bucket and the scale with you. Fill the bucket with manure and weigh it with the scale. There are 7.48 gallons to the cubic foot, so the weight of the bucket of manure will be 2/3 the density in lbs/cubic foot.
 
   / Horse manure weight?? #5  
I realize this is a 2 wheeled tractor forum and I now own a BCS 715 2 wheeled tractor but I need some help on the weight of horse manure. I have access to free horse manure from a stable to use on my gardens. I own a single axle 6 1/2' x 12' trailer with 2' sides. That computes to 156 cubic feet of loadable space if loaded up to the 2' sides. A yard of manure is 27 cubic feet but I do not have a weight per yard for the horse manure and I realize that may vary due to moisture content and stall shavings. At 156 cubic feet of loadable space that computes to 5.78 cubic yard capacity (too much for a single axle trailer). I dropped off my trailer at the stables a week ago and hauled a load this morning with my trailer that was probably only loaded to 2/3 capacity. I only have to haul it less than 10 miles to my home but I did not think I was going to make it home. The tire were flatening out and the trailer was obviously overloaded. My single axle is rated at 3500 lbs but with a recommended load of around 2000 lbs. Does anyone know how much horse manure weighs per yard as I need to haul a lot more.
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If you are allowing other people to load your trailer the trailer needs a SQUAT METER for them to load by. Trailer SQUAT METERS aren't available to purchase to my knowledge so you may need to build your own SQUAT METER.
 
   / Horse manure weight??
  • Thread Starter
#7  
The people who are loading the trailer at the stables are loading by hand with shovels. I don't have a clue where to get a squat meter and that may defeat my purpose of getting free manure. I am just going to get smaller loads.
 
   / Horse manure weight??
  • Thread Starter
#8  
This is going to depend a lot on the moisture content.

You can determine the density yourself for an investment of about $7.50.

Wally World sporting goods department sells a fish scale that will weigh 0-50lb. for about $5.

Either Homer Depot or Lowes will sell you a 5-gallon bucket for ~ $2.50.

Take a shovel, the bucket and the scale with you. Fill the bucket with manure and weigh it with the scale. There are 7.48 gallons to the cubic foot, so the weight of the bucket of manure will be 2/3 the density in lbs/cubic foot.

Good idea. I actually have a bunch of 5 gallon buckets and a stand on weight scale in the bathroom. I guess that would come close to compute the weight.
 
   / Horse manure weight??
  • Thread Starter
#9  
I have a similar trailer and i also have hauled horse manure with some regularity.

I can tell you this. Even if reasonably cured, it is very, very heavy. If you have free access, do yourself and your trailer a favor and bring half loads, at least 'til you can judge the towing, braking and tailer capability. Why break a spring or blow a tire? It wouldn't be free manure then. :D

You are correct. I was going on what the people at the stable advised from loading other trailers. The trailers are loaded by hand and it takes about a week to get a load so I left my trailer with them to load. They must have been talking about dual axle trailers as their weight estimate was way off and I did not realize it until I went to get my trailer. I had not hauled manure before and had no clue as to the weight. I will obviously get smaller loads in the future. I am just trying to determine how small. I think if I get a load only loaded up one foot in the trailer or about the height of the wheel fenders I may be ok. 6 1/2' x 12' x 1' = 78 cubic feet divided by 27 = 2.89 cubic yards. At 650 lbs a cubic yard that would total 1878 lbs. and well within my trailers capacity. That is if a cubic yard of manure weighs 650 lbs.
 
 
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