Too much netwrap…
Too much netwrap…
UNNECESSARY costs are being added to the cost of round baling because contractors and farmers are continuing to overestimate the amount of netwrap required to wrap round bale silage and straw, says netwrap manufacturer UAT.
This view is based on a question-and-answer competition run by the company, in which over 25% of respondents estimated it would take more than the required five rolls to produce 1500 bales.
"The reality is that 2-2.5 turns of net will wrap a bale effectively, giving coverage of approximately 300 bales/roll," says UAT technical manager Graham Robson. "It would appear a considerable number of farmers and contractors are using more netwrap than necessary."
Alternatively, Mr Robson believes, users are buying rolls of netwrap which do not have their stated length.
"Some rolls which should wrap 300 bales could be up to 60 bales short on their coverage, amounting to a considerable cost to the user over the season," he says.
Mr Robson points out it is important for farmers and contractors to understand that bale coverage – or necking down – is directly related to the quality of the netwrap used.
"Some nets can neck down considerably over the width of the bale, which can affect silage quality as the shoulders created allow air to be trapped under the film," he says.