Slurry Tanker
From Farmipedia.ie
A Slurry Tanker (or Vacuum Tank) is a machine used on a farm for removing slurry or soiled water from a Slurry Pit, transporting it to a field where it is then spread on the land.
When purchasing a Slurry Tanker the main things to consider are:
- Size of Tank - Tank size varies from 750 Gallons to 3000 Gallons, chose a size suitable for your tractor.
- Speed of Pump - Dictates how long the tank takes to fill and empty. Larger tanks are usually fitted with higher capacity pumps in order to reduce the filling time in particular.
- Type of Tyres - Oversized tyres are best, as higher and wider tyres are less severe on soft ground, cause less soil damage and require less effort from the tractor to move the tank around the field while spreading. Tractor type tyres, fitted in reverse are usually the best option.
- Brakes - On tanks greater than 1000 gallons, suitable brakes should be fitted.
- Sprung Drawbar - These make the tank smoother on the road, thus reducing wear and tear on the tractor and operator fatigue.
- Discharge type: Down-turned splash plate is the cheapest to buy and easiest to operate. Recently trailing shoe and injection systems have become more common as they reduce nitrogen losses, odour and grass soiling. Upward splash plates are no longer legal on slurry tankers.
Self propelled Slurry Tankers are available, however the are not discussed further as they are rare on Irish farms.
List of Irish Slurry Tanker Manufacturers
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