Paddock cleaners - advice please

mandyroberts

mandyroberts

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I am considering buying a paddock cleaner. I have 7 acres/4 horses, land divided into fields of 1 to 2 acres. Fields are on a slight slope, and must be able to get muck up slope on the muck trailer. Not sure whether something towed by a quad bike is better (and then could use that to level menage).
Advice please? We clean fields every day, all horses in the same field.
Experiences please? I am getting too old for poo-picking by hand!
 
Hi I've got the Trafalgar vacuum one, wouldn't go for a sweeper one as they have been associated with grass sickness. Happy with mine, its easy to use and starts every time. It wasn't the most expensive one available but does the job well. When I rang them they offered to come and do a free demo which was helpful.

I tow mine on a quad, its not heavy....you can drag it manually around yard quite easily until its full! Only downside I have found is that its quite low to the ground so when you tip it to empty it you have to scrape some of the poo out with a spade.

My field is on a slope too and I found it just too exhausting pushing heavy barrows up the hill! They are quite a bit of money to buy but hopefully will last for years and as you say the quad can be used for other things like menage leveling....
 
I have also seen reports that link sweepers to grass sickeness

This is from The Equine Grass sickness Fund web site

'Premises that removed droppings mechanically were at a significantly increased risk of recurrence than those premises that did not remove droppings and those that removed droppings manually were actually less likely to suffer a recurrence of EGS
It is proposed that removing droppings mechanically, in particular by paddock sweepers, causes soil disturbance and contamination of grass with soil.'
 
Yes I did look at some of the others but they were either too expensive or suppliers were too far from me to arrange a free demo. Found quite a bit of positive feedback on Trafalgar as well so think they are quite popular.

I've had mine since 2008, never done any maintenance :D and its still going strong. The design is quite straightforward, small engine with strong plastic container so not too much to go wrong...I would guess mine holds three heaped wheel barrows full so decent capacity. The best thing is that it makes nothing out of lifting heavy rain soaked manure even if its all tangled in the long grass....bliss!
 
Recurrence means return so the report doesn't actually state that they are the cause of grass sickness ? Bit of a strong statement I'd of thought ?
 
We have the trafalgar the biggest one they do. Fab machine, never had any problems, use with a quad also.
 
We have a predator pro, its very big and we tow it with a equally big, powerful quad. Its good and I've never had any problems with it but tbh I don't really use it any more. The poo is so spread out that its a pita to drive about to get it all in range. I now tow a trailer and pick it up with a fork...much easier and much much quieter!
 
I've been using my logic sweeper for the last 12 years for my own paddocks and others local to me. Neither I nor they have had a problem with grass sickness. It's quick and easy, removes dead grass, leaves etc too. The newer ones have a winch to help empty them too which must be great!
 
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