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
Misshapen bale may not rotate correctly during wrapping and extra wraps
may be required to fully cover the bale with the required number of layers of
film. Observe the bale as it is being wrapped and if more wraps are required
this can be done by pressing the +1 button on the controller.
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 hydraulic 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 layers 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.
Bales should be stored in the shade as far as possible. This reduces the danger
of air leakage in the bales. A bale which is stored in sunlight and which therefore
undergoes greater swings in temperature “pumps in” a great deal of air in
comparison to a bale stored in the shade. According to“Teknik for Lantbruket”
[Technology for Agriculture] in Sweden, a bale stored in the shade has only 40%
of the air leakage of a bale which is stored in sunlight.
A100 EH Operator’s Manual
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