What makes a manure tine bucket better than a standard bucket for livestock operations?
A manure tine bucket is specifically engineered for the unique challenges of livestock operations, offering significant advantages over standard buckets. The 40-inch tines with 45-degree angled ends are designed to slide under matted bedding, compacted silage, and pen pack—materials that standard buckets struggle to penetrate. The 8-inch on-center tine spacing creates approximately 6-inch openings that allow debris, excess liquid, and unwanted material to fall through naturally while retaining the bedding, feed, or manure you need to move.
This means you're carrying less weight per load, reducing strain on your machine and fuel consumption. The tined design also gets under material on the first pass rather than requiring multiple attempts, saving substantial time on daily chores. Whether you're cleaning stalls, spreading fresh bedding, or removing pen pack, the specialized design handles these agricultural tasks far more efficiently than trying to make do with general-purpose equipment.
How durable are the tines, and what happens when one gets damaged?
The tines are built from heavy-duty 2-inch 1045 cold rolled steel shafts fitted inside quarter-inch thick sidewall bushing stock, making them exceptionally resistant to bending and breaking during normal agricultural use. This isn't light-duty material—it's engineered specifically to handle the forces generated when prying up matted straw, pulling at packed silage, or lifting heavy loads of wet bedding. The grade 50 structural steel construction throughout the attachment ensures long-term durability even with daily hard use.
That said, agricultural work is demanding, and over time you may eventually bend or damage a tine. This is where the replaceable tine design delivers real value. Each tine is individually bolt-in and removable, so when damage does occur, you simply unbolt the affected tine and install a replacement. You don't need to replace the entire attachment or do complicated welding repairs. This design significantly reduces long-term ownership costs and keeps your attachment in service rather than sitting in the shop waiting for major repairs.
What width should I choose for my operation?
Selecting the right width depends on your specific machine capacity and typical working environment. The 60-inch and 68-inch widths work excellent in confined spaces like barn aisles, between buildings, or in smaller pens where maneuverability matters. These narrower options also suit smaller skid steers where machine capacity is a consideration. The 76-inch and 84-inch widths maximize productivity per pass when you're working in open lots, large pens, or spreading bedding across extensive areas. Wider buckets mean fewer passes to complete the same job, which saves time and fuel on large-scale operations.
Consider your most frequent applications when deciding. If you regularly work in both tight and open spaces, a mid-range width like 68 or 76 inches offers versatility. The tined design is more forgiving of width variations than solid buckets since the open spacing reduces overall weight and material resistance. All widths fit standard skid steer universal quick attach systems, ensuring straightforward installation regardless of which size you select for your operation.
Should I get the open back or closed back option?
The choice between open back and closed back depends on the specific materials you handle most frequently. The standard open back design is ideal for typical livestock operations where you want finer material, excess liquids, and debris to filter out naturally while retaining larger pieces of bedding, feed, or manure. This configuration reduces the weight you're carrying and improves loader efficiency since you're not transporting material you'll just be shaking out anyway. The open back works particularly well when cleaning stalls, moving loose bedding, or handling mixed organic material where separation is beneficial.
The closed back option makes sense when your applications require maximum material retention—for instance, when moving fine materials like sawdust bedding, handling feed that you don't want to lose, or working with materials where you need to capture everything. The closed back essentially converts the tine bucket into a hybrid tool that maintains the tines' ability to penetrate and lift while providing the containment characteristics of a solid bucket. Consider your primary applications when deciding, though most livestock operations find the standard open back delivers the performance they need.
Can this bucket handle tasks beyond livestock work?
Absolutely. While this manure tine bucket is purpose-built for agricultural applications, its design makes it remarkably versatile for numerous other tasks. The tines excel at brush removal and vegetation clearing, allowing you to grab and lift tangled brush, small branches, and plant debris that would slip through or push around with a standard bucket. Property owners use these buckets effectively for storm debris cleanup, handling fallen branches and organic material after severe weather. Landscapers find them valuable for moving mulch, compost, and other loose organic materials where the spacing provides natural drainage and weight reduction.
The bucket works well for general land clearing projects where you need to separate rocks and soil from vegetation and roots. Even tasks like moving firewood, clearing fence lines, or general property maintenance become easier with the tined design. The 75-degree back angle and robust construction mean the bucket handles these varied applications without compromising performance. This multi-use capability delivers year-round value rather than limiting the attachment to seasonal livestock chores, making it a worthwhile investment for operations that need versatile, durable equipment.
What maintenance does this attachment require?
One of the significant advantages of this manure tine bucket is its minimal maintenance requirements compared to hydraulic or mechanically complex attachments. The simple, robust design means there are no hydraulic components, moving parts, or complicated systems that need regular service. Your primary maintenance tasks involve periodically inspecting the tine mounting bolts and retightening as needed, since vibration and impact during use can gradually loosen fasteners over time. Check the mounting bushings occasionally for wear, especially if you're using the attachment frequently in demanding conditions.
After use, particularly with wet or sticky organic material, hosing off the bucket prevents buildup that can accelerate corrosion and makes your next job cleaner. When possible, store the attachment under cover to minimize weather exposure, though the grade 50 steel construction will certainly handle outdoor storage if covered storage isn't available. If you do bend or damage a tine, replace it promptly rather than continuing to use the attachment with compromised tines, as this can stress adjacent tines and mounting points. These straightforward maintenance practices take minimal time but significantly extend the attachment's service life and ensure reliable performance season after season.
Is this attachment compatible with my skid steer?
This manure tine bucket fits standard skid steer universal quick attach mounting systems, which means it's compatible with virtually all skid steer loaders currently on the market from major manufacturers. The universal quick attach design has become the industry standard, ensuring straightforward installation without requiring special adapters, modifications, or custom fitting. You simply align the attachment with your loader's mounting plate and secure it following your machine's normal attachment procedure.
The four available width options—60, 68, 76, and 84 inches—allow you to match the bucket to your specific machine's size and lifting capacity. Smaller skid steers work well with the 60-inch or 68-inch widths, while larger machines can take full advantage of the 76-inch and 84-inch options for maximum productivity. When selecting width, consider both your machine's rated operating capacity and the physical working environment. The attachment's weight varies by size but is designed to work within typical skid steer capacity ranges. If you have any questions about compatibility with your specific machine model or concerns about capacity, the design specifications provide the information needed to make an informed decision about which size works best for your equipment and applications.
How does this compare to renting equipment for occasional use?
For livestock operations and agricultural properties, owning a manure tine bucket typically delivers better value than renting, even if your use seems occasional. Rental costs accumulate quickly—a daily rate might seem reasonable, but multiple rental periods throughout the year add up to a substantial portion of the purchase price. More importantly, livestock chores don't wait for convenient rental availability. When you need to clean stalls, spread bedding, or handle manure, you need the equipment immediately, not after coordinating rental scheduling and pickup. Ownership means the attachment is ready whenever you need it, whether that's a planned job or an urgent situation.
The durability of this Stinger Attachments bucket—built with grade 50 steel, heavy-duty construction, and replaceable tines—ensures it will provide reliable service for many years, spreading the purchase cost across hundreds or thousands of hours of use. The pricing ranging from $2,295 to $2,845 depending on size represents a one-time investment rather than ongoing rental expenses. Additionally, Forge Claw's free nationwide shipping eliminates delivery costs that rental companies typically charge. For operations where livestock chores are routine or where the attachment's versatility means regular use across multiple applications, ownership clearly makes more financial sense than repeatedly renting equipment.