When it came time for Norm Styles to replace his balefeeder, the Hustler Chainless 4000 was his first and final stop. Styles says he was recommended it by another farmer who said they wouldn't buy anything else.

Styles had been looking around for several years and wanted something with minimal moving parts for his 400Ha operation at Pleasant Point, South Canterbury. He largely feeds out round bales with a mixture of baleage, straw and hay on the properties easy, rolling to steep terrain. The bales are tube wrapped and Styles remarks they're a good weight around seven to 700-800kg. He says the rear loading system has "all the grunt in the world".

"Having total control of the bale from the ground to the platform allows the operator to safely remove net wrap so there's no chance of getting caught under the bale," he says.

Hustler's territory manager also points out that Hustler uses only one hydraulic cylinder and a mechanical action for extra safety - cutting out relief valves that can potentially fail.

Styles was originally looking at a three-point linkage feeder but switched to the trailed feeder to save time in his busy operation. He mostly tows the feeder with his John Deere 6920, which offers ample power. Styles says the Hustler Chainless 4000 has been bulletproof.

"To further enhance the machine, I added the optional tractor grip tyres, which are great for my property, as well as the string box to keep debris from the tractor cab."

Styles is thrilled with the service he's received from Gordon Handy Machinery where he purchased the feeder. "They offered me a great deal and really look after me. To sum it all up, if there are any errors or problems, they're usually caused by the operator."

[gallery ids="2584,2585"]