Hilly country is no match for the Hustler Applic8r boom sprayer on this Australian dairy farm!

Australian dairy farmer Steve Watson wanted to replace his old sprayer unit after 25 years of use on his family-owned operation. On the advice of his local dealer, he recently bought a Hustler Applic8r boom sprayer and “hasn’t looked back.” Watch Steve’s story below to find out more!

Steve’s family farm is based near Simpson, a small town located in one of the most productive dairying centres in the State of Victoria, Australia. Dairying has become a major activity in the area and a significant contributor to the State’s dairying industry. The region consists of dissected plains exposing a range of land types with different topography, lithology and soils. 

Due to the rough terrain on some parts of the 500-cow farm, Steve needed to upgrade his old 25-year-old sprayer with a “basic spray unit being able to get over the country.”

When he rang up his local dealer Rhys Evans Colac, Steve was offered a few different options but was also advised to look at the Hustler Applic8r boom sprayer which embarks several unique features he would not find on other brands. “I generally listen to what Sean McGuane [Sales Manager at Rhys Evans Colac] says. And I took his advice, and we haven’t looked back,” Steve said.

“We haven’t looked back”

The Hustler Applic8r boom sprayer range is completely customisable according to the operator’s needs. Steve chose the Applic8r LX1150 which includes an 1150-litre (303-gallon) tank and he added a 12-metre (40 feet) hydraulic-folding SonicBoom™ with three-section electric in-cab controls and the QuickFlush™ tank drain.

The Hustler SonicBoom offers convenient additional features such as protected nozzles and individual left and right folding. “We can lock out parts of the boom, which I couldn’t do with the other one. So if I’m running a strip, and then there’s only a little bit to go, I can lock it out and just spray that part of the farm and also at the end of the day, each day,” Steve explained.

“Since autumn when we purchased the machine, we’ve basically followed the cows around the farm. And we’ve done that for three rotations. And basically every second day I’d be in the machine,” Steve detailed.

The QuickFlush™ tank drain comes standard with the Hustler Applic8r LX1150. “I can run fresh water through the pump and the boom, clean it out so I know it’s all good for the next day,” Steve said.

“It’s very basic but very good”

The Hustler Applic8r range has been designed to be an easy and uncomplicated unit yet highly customisable to fit all operations. Steve particularly likes the three-section electric-cab control system he has chosen. “It’s very basic but very good,” Steve said.

Thanks to Hustler’s unique SlickFit™ system, Steve would also be able to swap controls from the controls right through to the full ISO GPS control system with automatic section controls if needed in the future, without changing the whole unit.

“We can just get over so much country”

“The biggest thing that I’ve found is just being able to get over the country. Like we’re on hills, and we’re running a 12-metre boom. I’m not damaging it. It’s not breaking back. We can just get over so much country,” Steve explained.

A generous sump size is all part of the design so that the operator can spray on steep terrain without sucking air and leaving missed patches and empty the entire tank even when operating on the steepest terrains. The pump is also rear-mounted and offsets, offering enough space for PTO shaft connection without needing to cut or lengthen it.

Hustler prides itself to develop its products alongside farmers and numerous employees come from a farming background or are in any way related to the agricultural industry. Much of the trialing of new equipment is carried out by end-users in the field, and around the world to ensure that Hustler products meet the demands of a global market. Hustler gear is thoroughly and regularly torture-tested and exposed to different types of environments, from to freezing temperatures of Lapland. 

Overall, Steve is very happy with his Applic8r boom sprayer. “If any farmer asked me what I thought of the Hustler boom sprayer, I’d say it’s brilliant and recommend them to anyone,” he concluded.

Read other testimonials of farmers who use the Hustler Applic8r sprayers around the world:

• New Zealand deer farmer chose a Hustler Applic8r boom sprayer to increase the quality and yield of his pastures
• Australian farmer says “if I move on to a different farm, Hustler’s still gonna be my number one purchase”
• When it comes to operator safety and convenience, nothing beats the Applic8r boom sprayer from Hustler
• New Zealand dairy farmer says “They’ve really thought of everything” when it comes to his Hustler Applic8r sprayer
• New Zealand farmer “certainly recommends Hustler for anyone who’s looking at a new sprayer”
• American beef farmer “couldn’t imagine not having” his Hustler Applic8r mounted boom sprayer as “it’s just making life way easier”

All in all, the Hustler linkage boom sprayer range Applic8r – with the industry’s best warranty, unique best-in-class agitation and mixing, toughest design on the market, user-friendly low profile – is simply one of the best compact mounted boom sprayers on the market today.

Customise your Applic8r online and contact us today, you’ll be glad you did!