Kuhn Knight SLC 126 ProTwin® Slinger® Outperforms on Clemens Dairy Farm
Starting with just 13 cows in 1984, Eric Clemens has expanded his herd to 165 Holstein cows with 700 acres of alfalfa, corn, wheat and oats. Clemens operates Clemens Dairy Farm, located in West Branch, Mich., with his son, Ricky, and two other employees.
“I’ve been farming basically my whole life. I started out with 13 cows and I’ve been building ever since."
Clemens says he is a “Jack of all trades” when it comes to his role on the farm. His goal for the future is to stay the same size, but make advancements whenever possible. Clemens saw an opportunity to help his operation run more smoothly in the spring of 2016 when he purchased a KUHN Knight SLC 126 ProTwin® Slinger® side-discharge manure spreader.
“The other spreader we had was a good spreader, but it wasn’t a KUHN Knight. I like how the KUHN Knight spreads and it seems easy to work on, but I’ve never had to work on it."
One of the features Clemens’ two employees enjoy the most is the enclosed oil bath, which allows for simple inspection of the drive components and easy access for any needed maintenance. The gas-charged cylinders hold the lid up and out of the way, while the wide opening allows for convenient service. The durable, heavy-duty drive requires minimal maintenance and provides years of reliable service.
One benefit that allows Clemens’ operation to run smoothly is the versatility of the unique ProTwin twin-auger design and exclusive V-body construction that allows the Slinger spreader to handle the widest variety of materials compared to any spreader on the market. Complete adjustability of the wide discharge improves material breakup for more consistent, even spreading. The hydraulically adjustable deflector provides the ability to conveniently regulate the spread pattern from the tractor seat while spreading.
“The KUHN Knight spreader seems to handle anything we put in it, whether it’s from straight out of the cow to bedding packs. It will do the same job for both materials. We spread right onto the hayfields and you can hardly tell you spread on it."
After receiving recommendations from several neighbors who owned a KUHN Knight Slinger spreader and a similar competitor model, Clemens decided to check them both out.
“The other farmer thought they both worked great. The only difference is the Knight has free-floating hammers, while the other models were fixed. If you put something through there that you aren’t supposed to, nothing is going to give or break on the KUHN Knight."
The adjustable shroud design provides full adjustment for setting the clearance between the shroud and hammers. Maintaining the proper clearance enhances the shearing performance of the hammers to provide a more consistent material flow and more even spreading. The hammers feature more wear surface on the bottom edge to extend hammer life.
When asked how Clemens Dairy Farm has benefitted from the spreader, Clemens replied:
“We’re not fixing the spreader anymore."
Clemens purchased his KUHN Knight ProTwin Slinger spreader from Nick McConnell at McConnell Farm Supply, Inc in Rosebush, Mich. KUHN North America has dealers in every state and province, who are dedicated to service and support the products that help Clemens and others operate their business.
“That’s the first time I’ve ever dealt with Nick, but I would buy another spreader from him."
Clemens and his employees believe the KUHN Knight Slinger spreader is the best spreader they have owned due to the machine’s minimal maintenance, versatility and even spread.
“I would recommend the Slinger. Just because it does a beautiful job spreading manure and it looks like it is a pretty heavy-built spreader."