Manure Sweeper Keeps Pastures Clean

Manure Sweeper Keeps Pastures Clean MANURE HANDLING Equipment 32-6-11 The AirLite Pasture Cleaner is three times faster than two men and a wheelbarrow and it dumps its load with the push of a button. "It's small and can be pulled with a 4-wheeler, ride-on mower or Gator," says Pat Duffy of AirLite. "The remote control allows you to control brush height and throttle right from your seat." The pasture cleaner uses a 5-row brush unit and a set of spring tines to break up larger clumps of manure. As a bonus, it also can be set to de-thatch dead grass, or pick up pine needles, leaves and small rocks. The steel bin holds 28 cu. ft. and dumps easily by undoing two catches and pressing a button. Price for the basic model is $4,950. The deluxe version with remote control is $5,750. "Our main customers are individuals with a few horses," Duffy says. But it works well for manure from other animals as well. Iowa purchased the pasture cleaners to clean goose droppings in state parks. Zoos and wildlife facilities purchase them to clean up behind an assortment of domestic and wild animals. (Duffy notes the machine isn't suitable for cattle manure, which is too flat and sticks to the ground.) More recently Duffy added a larger cleaner, the PCPRO series that cleans up to 8 acres/hour. It requires at least a 45 hp tractor with a 3-pt. hitch, pto and hydraulics to operate. The PCPRO has a 160 cu. ft. bin with a tip height of more than 70 in. A fully floating 10-row brush ensures good ground contact. The machines come in 48 and 72-in. wide sweeps and cost $16,500 and $18,000 (may vary according to current steel prices). Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Pat Duffy, AirLite Systems Turf & Animal Management, P.O. Box 21645, Cheyenne, Wyoming 82003 (ph 866 460-9610; sales@airlite-systems.com; www.pasturecleaner.com).

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