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??
- Thread starter Ezzrider
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bp fick
Super Member
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.
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.
ragkar
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25 pounds per cu. foot
675 pounds per cu. yard
675 pounds per cu. yard
CurlyDave
Elite Member
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.
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.
M
maybar
Guest
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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.
Thanks. Where did you get your weight amounts?
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.
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.
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.
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.
ragkar
Platinum Member
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DESKREF book
According to my bathroom scales the 5 gallon bucket filled with the horse manure weighed 26 lbs. If my math is correct (questionable) and the 5 gallon bucket is 2/3 of a cubic foot then a cubic foot should weigh 39 lbs. Since my trailers capacity is 156 cubic feet loaded up to the 2' level that would compute to 6084 lbs loaded to capacity. Does that sound correct? Dang I was overloaded!!! Even at a 1/2 load I would be over 3000 lbs. I really should only get a 1/3 load in my trailer if these computations are correct. 2' height divided by 3 would be a .67' or only 8 inches fill height in my trailer?? Can that method be correct as that would make the manure 1053 pounds per cubic yard?? Does manure weigh over 1000 pounds per yard??
Last edited:
bp fick
Super Member
EZZRider
I am rather suspect of trying to finely compute the weight, as no one can give the water content with any accuracy. Pint's a pound, the world round kind of thing.
My horse farm loads out of aged pile with a large New Holland tractor with a FEL bucket that has to be 2 or 3 cubic yards. When the young man loads 'er up heaping and dumps, my poor 'lil trailer does indeed squish like ripe tomato. I have taken to giving him hand directions during partial dumpings while watching my springs and Squat O Meter. :laughing:
I wave him off. His price ($15) is the same whether I take a full trailer or half, so the temptation is great to overload. Not gonna do it.
I am rather suspect of trying to finely compute the weight, as no one can give the water content with any accuracy. Pint's a pound, the world round kind of thing.
My horse farm loads out of aged pile with a large New Holland tractor with a FEL bucket that has to be 2 or 3 cubic yards. When the young man loads 'er up heaping and dumps, my poor 'lil trailer does indeed squish like ripe tomato. I have taken to giving him hand directions during partial dumpings while watching my springs and Squat O Meter. :laughing:
I wave him off. His price ($15) is the same whether I take a full trailer or half, so the temptation is great to overload. Not gonna do it.
I hear ya. I was actually hoping weighing the 5 gallon bucket of the horse manure I had loaded would give me a fairly close idea as to the actual weight of the manure they are loading. It is fresh manure being swept out of the stables and then loaded on my trailer. I was alarmed when I went to get my trailer and the tires were near flat!! I took a portable air tank with me and inflated the tires as best I could and limped home with the trailer not driving over 40 miles per hour and mostly around 30 miles per hour slowing down for any bumps or depressions in the road. It was a dicey trip. I also had to take my floor jack to lift the front of the trailer so it would fit on my trucks hitch ball!! The front of the trailer had sunk into the ground a bit. I will obviously get smaller loads but I do want to get as much as I can safely haul.
M
maybar
Guest
The gentleman at the river sand pit said: "Ya can have all ya want free if ya load er yer self OR for fer 5 bucks I can fire up that front loader". On a hot summer day out of the wallet comes a crisp flashy 5. This was back in my younger days before I knew about Squat O Meters.
OH My Gawd, I've hever had such a 3 mile ride at 12 mph in my life.:laughing:
OH My Gawd, I've hever had such a 3 mile ride at 12 mph in my life.:laughing:
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Now exactly what is a Squat O Meter???
magicheater
Veteran Member
It is the common sense you apply when watching the springs on your trailer as it "squats" and determining how much is enough.
I have a dump trailer and am more concerned if it will lift what I put in it when I get home as I know my truck can handle the weight just fine. I regularly haul horse manure, haul the B7800 there with the 12' dump, load away and haul. I regularly fill the trailer heaping full, some loads are heavier than others. I try to balance the load with how I load, heavy stuff to the rear and light stuff in the front. You need to know your equipment and what it can do. Best to err on the light side. I use my Loader Buddy and generally have to shake some off after engaging the pile so the loader will handle it.
magicheater
Boy I wish I had a dump trailer with a hydraulic lift bed!! My problems I will not be there when the trailer is loaded so I cannot watch the springs, tires, etc. while it is being loaded and it is being hand loaded. Hence my trying to get a good idea of what should go in the trailer before I drop it off the next time which is as soon as I can figure this out. I have tried to research on the internet and have read horse manure weight estimates from 250 to 1400 pounds per yard. That is too big a range.
Boy I wish I had a dump trailer with a hydraulic lift bed!! My problems I will not be there when the trailer is loaded so I cannot watch the springs, tires, etc. while it is being loaded and it is being hand loaded. Hence my trying to get a good idea of what should go in the trailer before I drop it off the next time which is as soon as I can figure this out. I have tried to research on the internet and have read horse manure weight estimates from 250 to 1400 pounds per yard. That is too big a range.
magicheater
Veteran Member
Just fill it 1/3 full and be happy someone is loading it for you. What you may lose in efficiency you gain in peace of mind. Instruct the people loading to watch the springs and stop before they are horizontal. Good luck!
ragkar
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Boy, your measure of 39 pounds per cu. ft is certainly different that the book reference weight that I quoted of 25 pounds per cu. ft. I wonder what the reason for the difference is?
In any case you'll have to go by your measure. I like the idea of loading until you begin to feel uncomfortable with the load. then rake it even, measure and then never exceed the 12 inch depth or whatever.
In any case you'll have to go by your measure. I like the idea of loading until you begin to feel uncomfortable with the load. then rake it even, measure and then never exceed the 12 inch depth or whatever.
Ragkar
The 5 gallon bucket with the manure from my manure pile weighed exactly 26 lbs and if the 5 gallon bucket is 2/3 of a cubic foot then the cubit foot weight would be 39 lbs. Is it possible there is an error in the method in determining weight by density or volume? Again I will not be there when the trailer is loaded and cannot expect the stable people to watch the springs or tires. I will have to give them a height reference to fill the trailer. Using your method of computing the weight the trailer could only be filled to 8 inches of height and that seems low to me but maybe not.
The 5 gallon bucket with the manure from my manure pile weighed exactly 26 lbs and if the 5 gallon bucket is 2/3 of a cubic foot then the cubit foot weight would be 39 lbs. Is it possible there is an error in the method in determining weight by density or volume? Again I will not be there when the trailer is loaded and cannot expect the stable people to watch the springs or tires. I will have to give them a height reference to fill the trailer. Using your method of computing the weight the trailer could only be filled to 8 inches of height and that seems low to me but maybe not.
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