Australian dairy farmer loads and feeds out 14 bales in only 1.5 hours with his new Hustler Chainless bale feeder

Anthony Alley is the fourth generation of dairy farmers and has been running the family farm for 24 years. His recent purchase of a Hustler trailed Chainless TX205 bale feeder has simplified his operation substantially.

It allows Anthony and his team to feed out everything they need to – square bales, round bales and silage – and let him feed out 14 bales a day in an hour and a half. He expects the machine to last him until he retires and even when his children take over the operation. 

Anthony farms in the Central West region of New South Wales, Australia near the town of Forbes and about 380 kilometres (240 miles) west of Sydney.

Located in the Valley of the Lachlan River, the district is predominantly a cropping area, with a bit of livestock. The region is subject to a pattern of flooding and lies in the transitional zones of the semi-arid climate and humid subtropical climates, with relatively large temperature variation between seasons, and moderate rainfall spread evenly throughout the year.

Anthony’s family has been dairy farming in the area for more than a century. Today, Anthony and his team milk 220 to 250 cows all year round on 145 hectares.

Anthony is passionate about his activity. When asked what he likes about farming, he happily answered “the fresh air, the outside, being around the cows, just doing general different things around the farm so it’s a challenge every day that’s the reason I love it,” he explained.

In an average year, Anthony estimates he feeds out between 1,200 to 1,500 bales of hay and silage, but this year, they are “on track to do 2,500.” The weather hasn’t been very good in the last years and doubling his expenditure on hay and silage is far from ideal for Anthony, especially because he wasn’t equipped with the right gear able to handle that many bales.

“Prior to buying the Hustler, we were feeding out just using the tractor and carting the bales to the paddock all the time, meaning numerous trips backwards and forwards”

“Prior to buying the Hustler, we were feeding out just using the tractor and carting the bales to the paddock all the time, meaning numerous trips backwards and forwards,” Anthony explained. He decided to look for the right piece of equipment that could save him time, feed, and ultimately money.

Anthony needed his feeding equipment to meet certain requirements:

• being able to handle round bales of hay and silage
• being able to handle square bales up to 8′ long
• being easy to swap from one tractor to another if required

“I was very impressed, it was very simple, very quick and very easy to learn because there’s virtually nothing to go wrong with them”

The Hustler unique Chainless system was the perfect solution for Anthony’s needs. The Chainless bale feeders are suitable for feeding out any bale, round or square, and it maximises feed use. The Chainless system is also designed to minimise feed waste by feeding out into narrow windrows to make the feed more accessible to animals and all but eliminate damage from hoof trampling, manure spoilage, and animals laying down on the feed.

100% hydraulically driven, the Hustler Chainless machines are also using power more efficiently, savings on machinery investment and faster bale feeding all add up to impressive fuel economy.

“I can feed out up to 14 bales a day and have it done within an hour and a half”

The Chainless range is available in mounted, trailed and stationary models. Anthony chose the trailed model, able to carry two bales at once, and easy to swap between tractors. He is thrilled with his choice. “Now I can feed out up to 14 bales a day and have it done within an hour and a half,” Anthony said.

6 key benefits of Anthony’s Hustler Chainless bale feeder

• Feeds any Bale Type Shape or Size

The Chainless TX205 is a very versatile machine, able feed out any bale round, square, tight, soft, short, long, dry and wet bales with ease.

• Chainless

No troublesome feed chains is a key advantage for reliability as it provides a system that requires less maintenance and less risk of jamming or derailing. The platform combined with the rotors offers a strong teasing action to feed more efficiently and more economically as is easier for the cattle as they can eat it because it is fluffed up. Chainless is a virtually silent feeding operation which means your stock will be more comfortable.

• Total Control Loading System

This gives you total control over loading the bale. The simple, reliable and fool-proof single-cylinder design of the Hustler loading system is safer than other loading systems and allows unwrapping of the bale above the feed cradle, reducing waste.  The Hustler loading system can be reversed if the operator decides not to load that bale. It also has more support areas for soft or square bales. The Chainless square and round Bale Feeder have more leverage, stronger design and larger 1.5-tonne capacity.

• Easy Clean Hypaflo wiper panel

The wiper panel is an essential part of the Chainless technology. It clears the hay from the rotors better. It has a new quick-release latching system for releasing the panel to clean out any hay.

• Unique 3:1 rotor system

The rotor system offers a unique penetration on tight and/or sticky bales. The paddles of the bottom rotor centralise the bale in the feeding chamber for more efficiency. It has more grip on sloppy, rotor cut bales which makes feeding them out easier and more efficient. 

• Stability

With a low centre of gravity and wide wheel track, the TX205 is the most stable trailed bale feeder on the market.

“I see this product lasting me until I am done and hopefully my kids are still using it when I retire”