clear silage wrap

Muckit

I see a crowd have a clear silage wrap introduced for this year.

Would ye think it a good idea or a bit of a gimmick?

I remember the oul lad saying that years ago when he first started making pit silage that the sheets were clear and he said he had problems with bird damage.

Greengrass1

Muckit wrote: »

I see a crowd have a clear silage wrap introduced for this year.

Would ye think it a good idea or a bit of a gimmick?

I remember the oul lad saying that years ago when he first started making pit silage that the sheets were clear and he said he had problems with bird damage.

I thought no light was supposed to get at silage ?

bikes

Is that not instead of the net the way it can be recycled with the wrap.It sounds a good idea as there would be a better seal on the bale.

Reggie.

bikes wrote: »

Is that not instead of the net the way it can be recycled with the wrap.It sounds a good idea as there would be a better seal on the bale.

That's one but the is another where it is wrapped in clear film. Auld lads reckon of the grass can be seen through the wrap that birds think it is worms and peck the hell out of it

bikes

Reggie. wrote: »

That's one but the is another where it is wrapped in clear film. Auld lads reckon of the grass can be seen through the wrap that birds think it is worms and peck the hell out of it

They could be right

Zr105

See a clear wrap in the grass and muck supplement with journal this week, called agristrech crystal, had to double check but it is wrap rather than net replacement..

Reggie.

Zr105 wrote: »

See a clear wrap in the grass and muck supplement with journal this week, called agristrech crystal, had to double check but it is wrap rather than net replacement..

Yeah your right but the new mchales have plastic now instead of net. Should be a better job as it covers the shoulder of the bale so no fluffy bits on the edges. Should make a far cleaner shaped bale when wrapped for stacking.

Zr105

Reggie. wrote: »

Yeah your right but the new mchales have plastic now instead of net. Should be a better job as it covers the shoulder of the bale so no fluffy bits on the edges. Should make a far cleaner shaped bale when wrapped for stacking.

Yeah i quite like the idea of the plastic rather than net but i dont know how much it'll take off...

It's an 8grand option apparently to get the net feed system to handle it on the fusion 3! Thats a lot of money that contractors will struggle to get any extra for especially when you consider that the plastic will already be up on twice the price of the net wrap per bale....

Muckit

Zr105 wrote: »

Yeah i quite like the idea of the plastic rather than net but i dont know how much it'll take off...

It's an 8grand option apparently to get the net feed system to handle it on the fusion 3! Thats a lot of money that contractors will struggle to get any extra for especially when you consider that the plastic will already be up on twice the price of the net wrap per bale....

That's an excellent point. Sometimes the technology can be there but economics dictates. Of course an all wrap no net bale will suit farmer but not contractor as doubt farmers will be willing to pay the extra to cover the investment cost.

yellow50HX

Reggie. wrote: »

That's one but the is another where it is wrapped in clear film. Auld lads reckon of the grass can be seen through the wrap that birds think it is worms and peck the hell out of it

Yeah I'd be very slow to use it. Did the 1st cut last year in green as I had an issue with the black bursting under heat. Problem is the birds can see the worms and gurbs through the plastic and will pick at them. Had black and green side by side and the green were targeted a lot more by the birds. Did the bales with a roll of each for the second cut so I might do that again this year bales looked like bulls eyes but didn't get the same picking by the birds. Used white plastic a few years back and had the same issue. Dosent seem to be as much of a problem on the continent but certainly here.

yellow50HX

Muckit wrote: »

That's an excellent point. Sometimes the technology can be there but economics dictates. Of course an all wrap no net bale will suit farmer but not contractor as doubt farmers will be willing to pay the extra to cover the investment cost.

Anyone every try the bales with no meeting at all? Would probably make sense for anyone using a fusion baler and then using a bale tanco bale shear for feeding. Would probably need to be dry bales to keep the shape.

agriman27

Zr105 wrote: »

Yeah i quite like the idea of the plastic rather than net but i dont know how much it'll take off...

It's an 8grand option apparently to get the net feed system to handle it on the fusion 3! Thats a lot of money that contractors will struggle to get any extra for especially when you consider that the plastic will already be up on twice the price of the net wrap per bale....

Yeah contractor near me has a brand new fusion 3 bought this year, I was asking him did he get the new film instead of the net and he said he couldn't justify the cost mentioned and its not enough to attract a load of new customers. I was disappointed because it would have been an excuse to get away from the prick that I usually get:D

FarmTech

I have done some research on the Agristretch Crystal. The first thing is that the film is not to be mistaken with the NRF (net replacement film). I am told that this film is another addition to the standard Black, White and Green silage wraps currently available. I was told that the reason for the Crystal film was for the following reasons;

1. Bale Trading - At the end of the season, farmers can see what silage they are buying and selling because the film will allow the selling and buying farmers to inspect the bale for a level of imperfections which will allow the correct value to be put on bales. This they list as a real benefit to both parties who want to make and buy good quality silage because the buying farmer will eventually find out when he opens the coloured bales how good the silage is anyway. I was asked the question if I would buy anything online or in a shop if I didn't see what I was buying???
2. The Crystal film will allow better fodder management. My contact said that if there was mould starting to develop (which does happen in Black, White and Green coloured bales for a plethora of reasons), then the farmer can deal with any affected bales quickly before the bale becomes totally infected. For example, bales can be used in a certain order before they get totally out of hand with mould.
3. When silage is wrapped in coloured wrap (black, green or white), the farmer can't see what is happening in the bales, so generally the bales just get stacked in the corner until next year when they are opened. With Crystal film, I have been told that because the farmer can see the silage, this will allow the farmer the opportunity to go once a week to look at the bales and see how they are getting on. This was put down to bale management.

I also asked about bird attraction and I was told that between 2012 and 2013 bales were made and left in a field beside silage wrapped in Black and Green film and that the results showed that the birds were not attracted any more to the Crystal film than they were to the Black or Green bales. I was also informed that silage bales (regardless of which colour they were wrapped in) were not directly attacked by birds, but instead the birds attack the ground after the long grass has been cut because there are 1000's of grubs, insects and food in the ground which were hiding in the long grass and when the grass is cut, the grubs, insects, worms etc are exposed and the birds can see them and go after them. The problem with bales being attacked comes next and if the bales are left in or close by the cut field, then they the birds will go to the ground, pick up their food and then hop up onto the closest bale to eat their meal. It is at this point that the bird damage starts with claws and beaks and if some grass happens to appear during the birds devouring their grub, then they will start pulling at the grass as they think this might be more food. My contact said that that in order to have less bird damage to bales, that bales should be removed from the cut field ASAP and stacked away from the field so that the birds can't use the bales as tables so to speak. When speaking to my contact, I also learned of a design which can be painted to bales which they claim scares the birds as the design is supposed to replicate a hunting bird which normal everyday birds don't like. I will be trialling this design this year to see if it works.

The idea of the Crystal film seems logical and interesting and it would appear that the price per roll will not be exaggerated the same way the NRF verses Netwrap has been as reported earlier in this thread. I see from the Farmers Journal booklet this week that the Crystal film is being shown at the Tanco stand next Wednesday at the Grass and Muck. I think I will go along to see it and maybe gather more info.

Muckit

I do think birds will be an issue. It would also have to be price equal if not a tad cheaper. Don't think it will take off as it would be harder spot a hole until mould growth. Then it's shutting the gate after the horse has broken.

yellow50HX

FarmTech wrote: »

I have done some research on the Agristretch Crystal. The first thing is that the film is not to be mistaken with the NRF (net replacement film). I am told that this film is another addition to the standard Black, White and Green silage wraps currently available. I was told that the reason for the Crystal film was for the following reasons;

1. Bale Trading - At the end of the season, farmers can see what silage they are buying and selling because the film will allow the selling and buying farmers to inspect the bale for a level of imperfections which will allow the correct value to be put on bales. This they list as a real benefit to both parties who want to make and buy good quality silage because the buying farmer will eventually find out when he opens the coloured bales how good the silage is anyway. I was asked the question if I would buy anything online or in a shop if I didn't see what I was buying???
2. The Crystal film will allow better fodder management. My contact said that if there was mould starting to develop (which does happen in Black, White and Green coloured bales for a plethora of reasons), then the farmer can deal with any affected bales quickly before the bale becomes totally infected. For example, bales can be used in a certain order before they get totally out of hand with mould.
3. When silage is wrapped in coloured wrap (black, green or white), the farmer can't see what is happening in the bales, so generally the bales just get stacked in the corner until next year when they are opened. With Crystal film, I have been told that because the farmer can see the silage, this will allow the farmer the opportunity to go once a week to look at the bales and see how they are getting on. This was put down to bale management.

I also asked about bird attraction and I was told that between 2012 and 2013 bales were made and left in a field beside silage wrapped in Black and Green film and that the results showed that the birds were not attracted any more to the Crystal film than they were to the Black or Green bales. I was also informed that silage bales (regardless of which colour they were wrapped in) were not directly attacked by birds, but instead the birds attack the ground after the long grass has been cut because there are 1000's of grubs, insects and food in the ground which were hiding in the long grass and when the grass is cut, the grubs, insects, worms etc are exposed and the birds can see them and go after them. The problem with bales being attacked comes next and if the bales are left in or close by the cut field, then they the birds will go to the ground, pick up their food and then hop up onto the closest bale to eat their meal. It is at this point that the bird damage starts with claws and beaks and if some grass happens to appear during the birds devouring their grub, then they will start pulling at the grass as they think this might be more food. My contact said that that in order to have less bird damage to bales, that bales should be removed from the cut field ASAP and stacked away from the field so that the birds can't use the bales as tables so to speak. When speaking to my contact, I also learned of a design which can be painted to bales which they claim scares the birds as the design is supposed to replicate a hunting bird which normal everyday birds don't like. I will be trialling this design this year to see if it works.

The idea of the Crystal film seems logical and interesting and it would appear that the price per roll will not be exaggerated the same way the NRF verses Netwrap has been as reported earlier in this thread. I see from the Farmers Journal booklet this week that the Crystal film is being shown at the Tanco stand next Wednesday at the Grass and Muck. I think I will go along to see it and maybe gather more info.

Haven't seen an as detailed 1st post at this in a while. Is your "contact" at the desk next to yours????:rolleyes:

If your "contact" has a few free rolls floating a round I might try them out during the summer and see if they work.....:pac::pac::D

Mad4simmental

If I was buying a good few bales I would cut open a few to see what they were like. I don't think any farmer would have a problem with that if I was buying a good few of them and he know the quality was good.

FarmTech

I seen the film first advertised in the Farmers Journal about 3 weeks ago when there was an article in the supplement section of the paper and I made contact then with the name listed in article as I had some bad experiences with bought bales and I am also into new ideas. What you read in my last post was what they told me and I just thought I would share the info. I never thought to ask about seeing holes in the film but I will on Wednesday.

MickeyShtyles

There was a wee leaflet in the Farmers Weekly either last week or the week before. Tama I think the company were but tis the same thing. Clear stuff.
I'll try find it 2mora when I get back down to college.

FarmTech

Update: I seen the clear wrap running at Grass and Muck on Tanco 1320. It was different. The film wrapped the bale well and you could see enough of the grass with 4 wraps. The guy there spoke about the benefits of using this type wrap and a lot of ones gave him their name and number to trials the film. I too will get to trial the film. On holes, they can be seen easy enough as I put a hole and a slit in one bale to see what it looked like.

Greengrass1

FarmTech wrote: »

Update: I seen the clear wrap running at Grass and Muck on Tanco 1320. It was different. The film wrapped the bale well and you could see enough of the grass with 4 wraps. The guy there spoke about the benefits of using this type wrap and a lot of ones gave him their name and number to trials the film. I too will get to trial the film. On holes, they can be seen easy enough as I put a hole and a slit in one bale to see what it looked like.

I seen it there too. I'd say bales were wrapped about 20 times. Hard to know with that

Reggie.

FarmTech wrote: »

Update: I seen the clear wrap running at Grass and Muck on Tanco 1320. It was different. The film wrapped the bale well and you could see enough of the grass with 4 wraps. The guy there spoke about the benefits of using this type wrap and a lot of ones gave him their name and number to trials the film. I too will get to trial the film. On holes, they can be seen easy enough as I put a hole and a slit in one bale to see what it looked like.

I hoped you batched it up afterwards

Greengrass1

FarmTech wrote: »

Update: I seen the clear wrap running at Grass and Muck on Tanco 1320. It was different. The film wrapped the bale well and you could see enough of the grass with 4 wraps. The guy there spoke about the benefits of using this type wrap and a lot of ones gave him their name and number to trials the film. I too will get to trial the film. On holes, they can be seen easy enough as I put a hole and a slit in one bale to see what it looked like.

Hope it works out for pu.
Will they pay for you to buy new silage if it goes rotten

FarmTech

I don't intent to do my whole silage with it year 1, but I will do about 20 or 30 bales and having seen it wrapping bales I don't see why it won't work. I was informed that one of the main functions of plastic regardless of colour is to seal the grass and keep air / oxygen out and by doing this kills the bacteria that causes the rot. If the film is tacky enough and there are no holes there should be no reason for rot to develop. I am keen to trial this film to see.

FarmTech

I ran some clear wrap and its strange to see but its good wrap. I have been watching the bales for 4 weeks now and can see the grass fermenting. I have had no trouble with birds either which was a concern as I normally have bird damage. I spoke with the sales rep in Ireland and he has a facebook page set up which shows the film running, its worth a look, search for Coveris Crystal on Facebook.

Muckit

FarmTech wrote: »

.... I spoke with the sales rep in Ireland and he has a facebook page set up which shows the film running, its worth a look, search for Coveris Crystal on Facebook.

You want to give up that oul talking to yourself!

Ps. I'd love to see a pic of YOUR 4 week old bales please and thank you.

Reggie.

Muckit wrote: »

You want to give up that oul talking to yourself!

Ps. I'd love to see a pic of YOUR 4 week old bales please and thank you.

+1

ZETOR_IS_BETTER

FarmTech wrote: »

I ran some clear wrap and its strange to see but its good wrap. I have been watching the bales for 4 weeks now and can see the grass fermenting. I have had no trouble with birds either which was a concern as I normally have bird damage. I spoke with the sales rep in Ireland and he has a facebook page set up which shows the film running, its worth a look, search for Coveris Crystal on Facebook.

After hours joke response: pics or GTFO


No seriously like the lads it would be interesting to see a pic of your bales

_Brian

Do I sense that some posters have a vested interest in this product?

Reggie.

_Brian wrote: »

Do I sense that some posters have a vested interest in this product?

New toy syndrome
And the fact that we ate just usually used to only coloured wrap

Mad4simmental

Reggie. wrote: »

New toy syndrome
And the fact that we ate just usually used to only coloured wrap

Cammo wrap coming soon for you lad, ha

Reggie.

Mad4simmental wrote: »

Cammo wrap coming soon for you lad, ha

Now your talking but knowing my luck I'd forget where I bloody put the bales and have to follow the smell