Every day of the year at Satsuma Foods in Hawke's Bay, 4-6 round or square bales are fed out to some 900 cattle housed indoors in specially built sheds with one of the original Chainless 2000 bale feeders.

Now 13 years down the track Satsuma purchased their second Chainless 2000 without hesitation. “After having fed out more than 23,000 bales and with minimal maintenance carried out over that time and no breakdowns, the decision was easy”.

“The only problems we’ve had with this machine were due to human error,” says assistant manager Shiki Nakazawa, “Where operators have driven into the troughs or gates. As you can see, we’ve had some rough operators” he adds.

“I honestly thought the plastic would have been needed to be replaced before now, we’ve cut it and hit troughs and it’s had a hard time and all it’s got is a few cuts left in it which is amazing!”

Parked outside all its life in the heavy frosts it has lasted very well, “We’ve only just had to replace the rear chain now with no lube all its life and everything else is still going fine”.

Shiki finishes off to say “We’ll come and see you in another 13 years for a new one!”

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Satsuma Foods, indoor Wagyu beef farm, Hawke's Bay.