Tanco 1300 Series, Operator'S Handbook Manual

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Tanco Autowrap - 1310 / 1320
Operator’s Manual
9
5. BALE WRAPPING
Bale Wrapping Principles
The advantages of round bale silage are many, and include fewer feed units, a flexible harvesting system, large capacity and the possibility of selling feed units.
In principle, the same fermentation processes occur whether the fodder is placed in a silo or pressed into bales and packed in plastic, i.e. lactic acid fermentation in anaerobic conditions.
The oxygen in the bale must be exhausted before fermentation begins.
The grass should be dried to approximately 30-40% solid content. The solid content can be determined by twisting the grass by hand. If drops of liquid are forced out of the grass, the
solid content is less than 25%. Low solid content (wet grass) can lead to increased butyric acid fermentation if preservatives are not added to the grass. If the solid content is too high,
(over 50%), normal fermentation will not take place and there will be enough oxygen in the bale to produce mould fungus.
The Baler
It is vital that the baler produces compact, well-formed bales, as misshapen bales can be difficult to wrap. Wrapping will also often take longer, thereby increasing the amount of plastic
used.
Difficult Bales
When a misshapen bale is wrapped, it will have a tendency to move outwards or inwards on the roller. If the bale begins to move outwards, the machine must be lifted slightly at the rear
edge to get the bale to rest against the support roller on the main frame. It can therefore be useful to use a hydraulic top link to make this adjustment easier.
If the bale to be wrapped is conical you must ensure that the sharp end is pointed at the tractor. It will then be easier to get the bale to lie correctly during packing. It is easy for such a
bale to “turn” forward in the direction in which it is pointing, and therefore lie against the support rollers. If the bale is lying on a slope it must be picked up from the lower side. A hydrau-
lic top link will again be advantageous.
Types of Plastic
A good type of plastic with good adhesive properties, and which is recommended for bale wrapping, must be used. The thickness of the plastic foil should be at least 25 µ. (25/1,000 mm).
In order that the plastic tightens sufficiently around the bale, it is stretched before being wrapped, so it is somewhat thinner when it is put on the bale. With short-term storage (up to
eight weeks) it is recommended that bales have a minimum of four layers of plastic at the thinnest points, with at least 52-53% overlap.
For long-term storage, or when the grass is wet when it is wrapped, the bale should have 90-100 µ plastic (six layers) and the same amount of overlap. If thinner plastic is used, more lay-
ers should be applied. If it is very hot the plastic will be stretched further, and more layers should be applied. It is better to have slightly too much than too little plastic on the bale.
From experience, light colored plastic produces slightly lower temperatures within the bale, and tends to improve feed quality.
Storage Location
Care should be taken in finding a suitable location for the storage of bales. The storage location should preferably be prepared before the bales are laid out. An elevation close to well-
drained roads is recommended. If the wrapped bales are simply placed on stubble there is a danger of the plastic being pierced. A tarpaulin or a thin layer of sand should therefore be laid
where the bales are to be stored over the winter.