Understanding Fertiliser Spreaders

Organic Materials

RB209 section 2

Information on the nutrient content of organic materials, such as manures, compost and digestate.

Go to AHDB Website and download resource

RB209 Video Playlist

🌾 Fertiliser Spreaders: Guide for Crop Husbandry

“Machines don’t forgive — stay alert, stay safe.” (quoted from your document)

A bright, modern overview of the machinery used to apply nutrients to crops — including organic, artificial, solid, and liquid fertilisers — with safety, maintenance, and environmental protection built in.

🌱 1. Types of Fertilisers

🐄 Organic Fertilisers

• Farmyard manure (FYM)
• Slurry
• Digestate

🧪 Artificial Fertilisers

• Solid granules / prills
• Liquid nitrogen fertilisers

Different fertilisers require different machines — and different safety and environmental considerations.

🚜 2. Solid Organic Manure Spreaders

🟫 Muck Spreaders

Types

• Rear discharge spreaders
• Flail / side spreaders

How they work Manure is loaded with a front loader, broken up by beaters, and spread across the field.

Safety

• Keep guards & PTO covers in place
• Stand clear of beaters
• Avoid overloading or steep slopes
• “Wash hands and cover cuts—biohazard risk from manure.” (quoted)

Environmental

• Avoid windy conditions
• Maintain 10m buffer from watercourses
• Spread only on dry, unfrozen ground

💧 3. Liquid Organic Manure (Slurry)

🚫 Old Method (No Longer Allowed)

• Deflector plate spreading → high ammonia loss

🌿 Modern Low‑Emission Slurry Spreading (LESS)

• Trailing hose / dribble bar
• Trailing shoe
• Injectors (lowest emissions)

🔧 How Slurry Tankers Work

• Tractor‑driven pump fills the tank
• Pump reverses to apply slurry

Environmental Benefits

• Reduced ammonia emissions
• Less odour
• Better nutrient efficiency

🌾 4. Solid Artificial Fertiliser Spreaders

🔄 Spinning Disc Spreaders

• Working width up to 36m
• Adjustable vanes
• Headland control
• Sensitive to wind & fertiliser quality

💨 Pneumatic Boom Spreaders

• Highly accurate
• Less affected by wind
• Up to 36m width
• “100% accurate coverage, 0% or 200% depending on driving accuracy.” (quoted)

💦 5. Liquid Fertiliser Application

🚜 Crop Sprayers

• Used for liquid nitrogen fertilisers
• Working widths up to 48m
• Nozzles or dribble bars for accurate application
• Less wind‑affected than discs

⚠️ 6. Health & Safety Regulations

📘 PUWER

“Machinery + tools → suitable, maintained, and safe to use, with guards in place and operators trained.” (quoted)

📗 LOLER

• Safe lifting operations
• Loaders, forklifts, hoists, slings
• Never lift people without proper equipment

🔒 General Safety Rules

• Never clear blockages with tractor running
• Never ride in hopper or spreader
• Never work under an un‑propped machine
• Beware of bulk bag crushing risk

🌍 7. Environmental Protection

🌊 Watercourse Protection

• 10m buffer for manure
• Avoid spreading before heavy rain
• Avoid steep slopes
• Prevent runoff & leaching

🌬️ Weather Awareness

• Don’t spread in high winds
• Damp fertiliser affects spread pattern

📏 Spread Pattern Checks

Check whenever you:

• Change fertiliser type
• Change parts
• Use headland equipment

🛰️ Modern Technology

• GPS
• Automatic shut‑off
• Variable rate application

🛠️ 8. Maintenance Essentials

🔧 Daily Tasks

• Wash down — fertiliser is corrosive
• Check discs, vanes, agitators, spouts
• Check bout width & rate settings
• Ensure correct PTO speed

🧰 Why It Matters

• Safer operation
• Accurate spreading
• Reduced environmental impact
• Longer machine life

📘 9. Key Knowledge Summary

• Muck spreaders apply solid organic manure
• Rear discharge spreaders use load cells
• Slurry tankers use a pump
• Modern slurry systems use dribble bars or injection
• Solid fertiliser uses spinning disc or pneumatic spreaders
• Liquid fertiliser uses crop sprayers up to 48m
• PUWER covers safe use & maintenance
• Fertilisers are corrosive → wash down after use
• Manure must not be spread within 10m of watercourses