increase font size
Hustler has used farmer feedback to develop the cradle shape of their Unrolla range bale unrollers.
Mounted bale unrollers are popular on New Zealand farms, with one Kiwi-owned manufacturer claiming to have figured out what works best for farmers, and why.
Hustler Equipment, celebrating its 60th year, uses an exhaustive process that starts with an idea, moves to building a machine, which is then handed to farmers to use and test in real world conditions.
User feedback results in tweaks and adjustments to produce the ideal configuration - a process the company used to develop the cradle shape of their Unrolla range bale unrollers.
The shape of the cradle was designed to deal with perfectly shaped bales, while also allowing for crops or conditions that might misshape some bales. A single-piece thermoformed floor made from polythylene is said to reduce bale drag by up to 30%, while durable bis-alloy steel sprockets and covered drive shafts eliminate crop wrapping on any drive components.
Bale weights have grown substantially over the last decade, so the Unrolla LX105 has a substantial suframe, 12,000lb roller chains and 40mm x 40mm box-section galvanised feedbars.
Aimed at users wishing to feed 50 to 800 bales per annum, with weights of up to 1000kg, the machine requires one double-acting hydraulic outlet with an available flow rate of 30 to 60 litres per minute.
A single lever control system allows fine adjustment of feed rate and easy selection of left or right-handed discharge.
From a practical point of view, Hustler Unroller's are fitted with an automatic hands-free connection and disconnection system called Snaplox, allowing users to disconnect the cradle, load a bale from an adjacent stack, then reconnect without leaving their tractor or hanging out the window to pull a rope.
Forged bale spears of unequal length allow the easy pick up of bales and smooth reconnection to the cradle after bale loading.
This feature is complemented with the ability to connect to either end of the cradle and feed out to either side, offering maximum manoueuvrability, adaptability and the versatility to work in conjunction with any front-end loader, skid-steer or telescopic handler.
Throughout the machine, bearings are favoured instead of bushes, increasing the durability and working life of the units, a fact the company recognises by offering a 4-year warranty.
While it wouldn’t be unfair to call the LDV T60 “the poor man’s ute”, a change of distributor in 2023 has seen the brand raise its profile, while the recent arrival of the new LDV T60 Max Plus, will undoubtedly open the door to a wider audience for the brand.
Ag and Civil Machinery Direct, a division of Hamilton- based Waikato tractors, has recently been awarded the sole distribution in New Zealand for Kemper’s range of precision forage equipment.
While the name and technology remain unchanged and new machines will continue to carry the Novag name, all the assets, intellectual property and staff of the French manufacturer have been acquired by a new organisation called Agriculture Nouvelle Génération.
Recent rain has offered respite for some from the ongoing drought.
Having already hit the headlines for recycling broken 2.4 metre vineyard posts into 1.8 and 1.6 metre, half and quarter posts for agriculture, Repost recently hit the milestone of one million posts recycled, diverting the CCA treated posts from landfill.
Everyone from experienced veterinarians and young professionals to the Wormwise programme and outstanding clinics have been recognised in this year’s New Zealand Veterinary Association Te Pae Kīrehe (NZVA) awards.
OPINION: The Government's latest move to make freshwater farm plans more practical and affordable is welcome, and long overdue.
Global Dairy Trade (GDT) and Arla Foods have announced that Arla will begin offering European-sourced skim milk powder (SMP) on GDT Pulse from May 2025 as part of an extension to the GDT Pulse pilot.
Farmers in the Australian state of New South Wales will soon be able to use virtual fencing and herding technology to boost farm productivity.
Hawke's Bay teenage entrepreneur Hugo Moffett is helping the rural community access cheaper school uniforms, all without leaving their homes.
As part of preparing for a potential IPO in relation to the divestment process for its global Consumer business and integrated businesses Fonterra Oceania and Sri Lanka, Fonterra has named Anne Templeman-Jones as chair-elect of the Audit and Risk Committee for the Mainland Group board.
OPINION: Farmers won't get any credit for this from the daily media, so Milking It is giving the bouquets where…
OPINION: The Advertising Standards Authority’s 2024 report revealed that not only is social media rotting our brains, it is also…
