US farmer ditched the hay ring for a Hustler bale processor, and here’s why!

Stephen Gaskins, a farmer from Pink Hill, North Carolina, has tried rolling bales out, putting bales in hay wagons, and using metal hay rings that were supposed to be indestructible. None of these methods worked well, and the hay rings were not safe for calves or other animals. So Gaskins switched to using the Hustler Chainless TX205. With the Hustler Chainless TX205, he can carry three bales at once and reduce travel time, which in turn reduces waste and fertilizer usage. This efficiency will lead to more leftover bales this season compared to previous years. Investing in the Hustler Chainless TX205 is a cost-effective and environmentally-friendly solution for delivering hay to your animals. 

When Stephen started using metal hay rings to deliver hay to his cows and calves, he thought he had found the perfect solution – a durable, long-lasting option that would save him time and money in the long run. However, it quickly became clear that these so-called “indestructible” hay rings were anything but. “Metal hay rings that were supposed to be, you know, last a lifetime. They didn’t,” Stephen said. They were not safe for the calves or other livestock, and they didn’t last nearly as long as advertised. Stephen was left with torn-up rings and metal strewn across the pasture.

“This is a so-called indestructible hay ring. As you can see, it is not indestructible. And this is the primary reason we went to the Hustler”

Frustrated, Stephen began researching better ways to deliver hay to his cows. He tried rolling the bales out and using a hay wagon, but they only made a mess. 

That’s when he discovered the Hustler Chainless TX205, and his feeding woes became a thing of the past. With Hustler bale processors, Stephen could spread the hay out and reduce stress on the animals. With the Hustler Chainless TX205 bale feeder, each animal had access to its own share of hay. “My observation is when we did that, with putting a single bale out there is increased stress on the calves and the cows, you know, the survival of the fittest kicks in. It’s just not healthy for the herd,” Stephen detailed.

Not only that, but using the Hustler bale processor allowed him to carry multiple bales at once, reducing travel time and increasing efficiency. “Carry a bale in the cradle, one on the back end and one on the front. That’s three bales in it. That can be three different farms. Or it could be two bales for one farm and one bale for another, and just cut down on travel time,” Stephen continued.

And with little to no waste, he was able to save money on the most expensive part of his operation – feed costs. “Producing hay is the most expensive part of this whole operation,” Stephen said. “But with the Hustler, I can put out 19 bales in a day where before it would have been 30 or more. That’s a big difference per day. If it’s just 10 bales per day through the winter.”

“With the Hustler, I can put out 19 bales in a day where before it would have been 30 or more”

A common misconception is that hay fed out directly on the ground in a long, fine, even windrow causes hay waste and ultimately loss, however, studies prove that feeding hay in a narrow windrow instead of a round bale feeder can reduce wastage from nearly 40% down to just 2-3%! Hustler’s Chainless bale processors offer a unique feeding method that teases out the hay while fluffing it up, making it more palatable to the animals. 

“And what is there gets the herd, the cows turn that back into the soil and it produces fertiliser,” Stephen explained.

From a regenerative standpoint, distributing manure throughout your pastures by windrow feeding versus bale ring feeding not only improves your pasture growth but it eliminates the need for manually spreading manure and re-seeding damaged pastures (an article is specially dedicated to this topic, do not hesitate to consult it by clicking here).

Stephen was excited to see the difference this makes in his hay usage, and he is glad he made the switch to Hustler. It’s a safer, more efficient, and more cost-effective way to feedout hay to his animals, and he couldn’t be happier with the results. “It’s going to be exciting to see the turnaround, how many bales we’ll have leftover this season versus the others,” he said.

The Hustler Chainless TX205 has made a huge difference for Stephen and his cows. By reducing stress on his animals and cutting down on waste, he’s able to save time and money. 

For any farmer struggling with hay feeding, the Hustler Chainless TX205 could be the solution they’ve been looking for.

Do you want to know more about Hustler bale feeder range? Contact us today, you’ll be glad you did!