Increasing the frequency of spreading his cattle manure led Welsh beef and sheep farmer, Wyn Jones, to upgrade his manure spreader to leave a consistent finish allowing grass regrowth, without the requirement for a following harrow.
Increasing the frequency of spreading his cattle manure led Welsh beef and sheep farmer, Wyn Jones, to upgrade his manure spreader to leave a consistent finish allowing grass regrowth, without the requirement for a following harrow.
The manure produced from the 120 beef store cattle has always been used to offset artificial fertiliser. Traditionally, it was applied to the grassland twice a year, once in the spring and another pass in the autumn after the final cut.
However, regulations requiring covered storage for manure in Wales meant Wyn faced a dilemma. Either invest considerable money in shed infrastructure or increase the frequency of spreading to four times a year to reduce the amount of manure stored on the farm. He chose to upgrade his spreader for greater output and consistent breakdown of straw when applying it direct from the sheds.
“I could apply well-rotted manure with my side discharge machine,” says Wyn, “but I needed something that would cope with dry straw loaded directly from the pens and apply it consistently across the field, breaking down large lumps before application.”
After searching around, Marc Rees, from local dealer J E Rees and Sons, suggested a Bunning Lowlander Farmstar 80 TVA, which duly arrived on the farm in autumn 2024. Wyn farms 280ac at Waunfawr, near Llanfynydd, Carmarthenshire, and alongside the store cattle, he has a flock of 300 texel and Welsh cross ewes.
Wyn says the Farmstar 80’s twin rear augers can break down dry straw and apply it uniformly alongside the heavier material from the pens. Although Wyn looked at another brand, there were a few things that swung it in favour of the Farmstar.
“I’ve been so impressed with the build quality of the spreader, but also the consistency of the material coming out the back. I travel in 6m bouts, and it’s so even across the width that I now don’t require a second pass with chain harrows to break the lumps down further. This was essential to allow me to spread four times a year.”
A further consideration for Wyn was manoeuvrability as one of his farms has a tight access lane, so a narrow axle width was essential. The design, with the body inside the wheels, still allows BKT 460/85 R34 tyres fitted for an overall width of 2560mm, while it maintains a low centre of gravity for stability on the hills.
“I really like the light covers that are attached to the slurry door. As the door is raised, the covers shield the lights from any debris. Once the door is closed, the lights are visible again for road transport without me getting out of the cab. This simple design saves time and money in the long run.”
For several years, Wyn used a contractor for manure spreading to avoid buying his own machine, but the timeliness of applications to catch the weather windows right meant it didn’t quite work on several occasions.
By owning his own spreader, he can choose when and where to apply his manure and ensure the product is spread correctly.
