Bales...no of wraps/layers?

Muckit

Well lads. I usually get contractor to supply wrap and l pay an all in price. This year going to supply wrap myself.

So how many layers are ye putting on bales and how many wraps ye getting to a roll of silotite wrap?

Tks

Noveight

4 layers. Some lads go for 6 layers but that's overkill imo, I'm not convinced that it's worth the extra cost.

Usually 30-33 bales per role.

Mooooo

I go for 6 as they may be kept over in a good winter. Also it's a fusion used and we draw in with the doublehandlers so I hope it protects an extra bit.

FarmerDougal

Always went with four but going six silowrap this year, plastic isn’t the same as it used

_Brian

Doesn’t it say on the box to do six ?

davidk1394

Noveight wrote: »

4 layers. Some lads go for 6 layers but that's overkill imo, I'm not convinced that it's worth the extra cost.

Usually 30-33 bales per role.

How many turns of a wrapper is that ?

lab man

davidk1394 wrote:

How many turns of a wrapper is that ?

16

jimmy G M

4 layers here... can't say we ever had any bother and have had bales 2 or even 3 yrs old in perfect condition on a couple of occasions. Only stack 2 high through...4 layers works out around €2.50 per bale plastic cost, 6 layers obviously cost 50% more..

hopeso

6 layers here for years. I found it a big improvement over 4 layers, in so far as the first layer of silage inside the wrap is as good as the stuff in the centre. The 6 layers will stand up to handling better too. Roughly 20 bales from a box of Silawrap.....

Never wrestle with pigs

6, it's more expensive but so is waste. Also find that when wrapped with 4 a fart would burst a hole in them when bringing them in. Also as said above they will last much better if held over an extra year.

Noveight

davidk1394 wrote: »

How many turns of a wrapper is that ?

16 as mentioned there above.

You could see the benefits for lads who’d be leaving bales over a year or drawing them wrapped alright.

visatorro

Why are you changing? Surely Contractor would get it cheaper buying in bulk?

We do our own bale/wrap. For years done 4 layers but ended up with quite alot of waste/mouldy stuff been thrown out. Last year we done 6 layers, out of about 650 bales we had about enough waste to make up 4 or 5 bales. Well worth it in my opinion.
Maybe just try 25 bales from your first and second cut and keep them seperate, you can make up your own mind come feeding time.

Muckit

visatorro wrote: »

Why are you changing? Surely Contractor would get it cheaper buying in bulk?

You could be right. But just want to be able to dictate the number of layers l put on!

Dunedin

Won’t start another thread so lobbing it in here.

Any difference in wrap color - green, white, pink or black?

emaherx

Normally put 4 layers on here as I usually wrap at stack but put 6 on if I have to draw wrapped bales or if stemmy weeds are in crop.

Dunedin wrote: »

Won’t start another thread so lobbing it in here.

Any difference in wrap color - green, white, pink or black?

Pink/purple raise money for 2 separate charities.
Green white black useful if you have OCD and want to identify different crops.

orm0nd

Dunedin wrote: »

Won’t start another thread so lobbing it in here.

Any difference in wrap color - green, white, pink or black?

Only use green or pink here and no issues holding bales over from year to year with 4 layers. Would only use black from August onwards on bales that would be used first that year.

IMO black plastic has rotted more silage and caused poor preservation and cost farmers dearly but they're still happy to use it.

Panch18

orm0nd wrote: »

Only use green or pink here and no issues holding bales over from year to year with 4 layers. Would only use black from August onwards on bales that would be used first that year.

IMO black plastic has rotted more silage and caused poor preservation and cost farmers dearly but they're still happy to use it.

What's your thinking behind that orm0nd?

Bass Reeves

visatorro wrote: »

Why are you changing? Surely Contractor would get it cheaper buying in bulk?

No because most contractor's buy on credit. Most contractor's have moved away from providing plastic because farmers expect more discount the bigger the bill. The only way a contractor might make a bit on it is on the difference between the vat rates of 23 and 13.5%.

On number of layers I vary first cut always get 6 layers unless It is not wilted due to weather. If DM is below 25% I will chance it with 4 layers but above that I put 6 layers on first cut. It is a?so at the back of the clamp and will be the most likely used last and any carry over will be from that. Second cut gets 4 layers again unless it is very high in DM above 35% then I will got with 6 layers. I find using this method I have reduced waste in 250 bales back to less than the equivlent of two bales and most of that is at the feed face

Muckit

Fair play lads. Some great info to chew on there.

Think I'm going to go with the 6 layers this year.

Also have organised a lad to bring them in with double handler and loader.

If it works out will have a great hassle free silage system in place.

_Brian

Our contractor won’t supply plastic.

He said lads were moaning about it either being too dear or cheap so he decided few years ago not to supply it.

He told me he keeps a few rolls at home in case he runs out but that’s it.

I think he’s right, you couldn’t keep some lads happy.

Muckit

Well It has to be a mutual appreciative relationship built on trust and respect.

Reggie.

_Brian wrote: »

Our contractor won’t supply plastic.

He said lads were moaning about it either being too dear or cheap so he decided few years ago not to supply it.

He told me he keeps a few rolls at home in case he runs out but that’s it.

I think he’s right, you couldn’t keep some lads happy.

I can concur

hopeso

_Brian wrote: »

Our contractor won’t supply plastic.

He said lads were moaning about it either being too dear or cheap so he decided few years ago not to supply it.

He told me he keeps a few rolls at home in case he runs out but that’s it.

I think he’s right, you couldn’t keep some lads happy.

There’s a lot of contractors around here gone that way for a long time.... Wrap is expensive. Imagine the bill for 5000 bales, and a limited time to pay before interest is added.... Some lads mightn’t pay for the baling until the end of the year.....

Markcheese

Do many use film instead of net wrap? And would that make a difference,?

Dakota Dan

orm0nd wrote: »

Only use green or pink here and no issues holding bales over from year to year with 4 layers. Would only use black from August onwards on bales that would be used first that year.

IMO black plastic has rotted more silage and caused poor preservation and cost farmers dearly but they're still happy to use it.

That’s interesting, I used 6 layers the last few years as the silage is bulky June silage and have less mound as a result. Costs are tighter this year might try green wrap with 4 layers. I can always blame you if it goes belly up 😀😀😀

Reggie.

Dakota Dan wrote: »

That’s interesting, I used 6 layers the last few years as the silage is bulky June silage and have less mound as a result. Costs are tighter this year might try green wrap with 4 layers. I can always blame you if it goes belly up 😀😀😀

Always nice to have a fall guy

lab man

hopeso wrote:

There’s a lot of contractors around here gone that way for a long time.... Wrap is expensive. Imagine the bill for 5000 bales, and a limited time to pay before interest is added.... Some lads mightn’t pay for the baling until the end of the year.....

Or a week before baling again

SuperTortoise

Did'nt know there was any difference between black and green wrap, anyway we've always used black, contractor supplies. As long as they are well minded bringing in they keep just fine, remember feeding 3 year old silage a few years back that was perfect.

Have gone with an extra wrap the last 2 years, find it's good value, especially as i've a half mile draw to the stack and the roads seem to get worse every year.

KatyMac

FarmerDougal wrote: »

Always went with four but going six silowrap this year, plastic isn’t the same as it used

Was at a Teagasc silage making demo on Monday evening and they were saying 6 wraps. I had about half a dozen bales that the contractor must have damaged and put extra on them and they were really good so I'm planning to get 6 this year and see what the story is. If the silage is better kept then it is worth the extra cost.

Dakota Dan

There’s a new wrap on the market this year silox it’s called. Extra thick plastic and less turns of the wrapper. It’s 1000m roll rather than 1500m and is claimed to wrap 40 bales a roll @ €100. Sounds good works out at around 2.50/bale.

Bass Reeves

Dakota Dan wrote: »

There’s a new wrap on the market this year silox it’s called. Extra thick plastic and less turns of the wrapper. It’s 1000m roll rather than 1500m and is claimed to wrap 40 bales a roll @ €100. Sounds good works out at around 2.50/bale.

If looks like you are only putting 3 layers on it ??

keepalive213

Always stump up for the extra wrap here, €1 per bale extra. Bales stacked on their ends and good for 2-3 years if necessary.
There's nothing worse than mouldy silage, it's not worth the risk imo. Poisonous to breath around, labour intensive, unhealthy for stock.
A vet visit will put an extra wrap on a good few bales.