Buying a Hustler Combi RX148 multi-feeder wagon has brought multiple benefits for one Victorian farmer
For Victorian farmer John Pethybridge, buying a Hustler Combi RX148 multi-feeder wagon has improved both safety and efficiency.
Purchasing the wagon from local dealer McGregor Machinery was a big investment for Pethybridge, whose farm is near Whorouly in the Ovens River valley, about 270km north-east of Melbourne.
The Hustler Combi RX range is a completely hydraulically driven machine designed to easily handle any type of feed, round or square bales, silage, maize, root crops or waste feed. “Being able to put two different products in – corn silage and grass silage – to create a bit of a loose sort of mix for the cows has been really beneficial,” Pethybridge says.
A twin-speed rear pusher blade on the wagon moves the feed to a cross floor, then the bale or bulk feed is separated and distributed by a large side elevator.
The elevator can be angled depending on the aggressiveness required.
“Depending on how you’re feeding, you can have a more aggressive tilt on your door and it tears the product apart if you want to spread it out,” Pethybridge says.
“Or, if you want to feed into a feeder and feed it thicker you can put your door down and feed it out more aggressively.”
The RX range comes with a standard feedpad kit to eliminate spillage of feed, and Pethybridge feeds out his herd in troughs.
The wagon excels on difficult or hilly terrain with its tough axle design that provides a massive 2,200 square centimetres of pivot surface area and 100mm diameter pivot pins.
With a huge ground clearance, the chassis and the side elevator are out of harm’s way, eliminating the chance of damage to the working parts when operating on undulating ground.
The wagon has also been designed with longevity and efficiency in mind, with the cable and hose tracks built into the design as standard to protect them from damage.
The central greasing station for the axle comes standard on all the Combi RX models and difficult-to-access grease points.
Feedlink scales and feed management system are options that can be added, or retrofitted, to the machine.
Farmers can choose to keep things simple with the basics such as a live weight reading or take feed management control to the next level by pre-setting daily feeding routine, receiving reports to track feed proof-of-placement, operator performance and insights into over or underfeeding.
Safety is paramount and Pethybridge feels peace of mind when using the Hustler wagon.
“The ability to feed many bales of hay to different mobs of animals, it’s a lot safer for our workers and our staff,” he says.
“Instead of feeding things off utes or with littler feeders such as bale unrollers, we can load up the machine and send a staff member out in the paddock and we know that they’re going to be safe. They’re in a tractor.”
Hustler Equipment’s full product range is available at the company’s website.