Baled silage is a popular, flexible option for many farmers. However, it is not a cheap option with its associated costs of mowing, baling, wrapping, stacking and plastic disposal. To maximise the full potential of your investment in the forage, all bales should be wrapped and stored efficiently and effectively.
However, whether wrapped in 4,6 or even 8 layers of plastic the bales will still be at risk from damage from birds or even farm cats if left stacked but unprotected. Protecting the silage wrap from damage is vital when you consider that typically more than half of the silage in a bale is within 20cm (8 ins) of the surface. Air penetration into the silage through holes in the wrap allows growth of yeasts, moulds and spoilage bacteria which results in loss of DM and nutrients with an accumulation of pathogens and mycotoxins. A single hole of only 1-3mm diameter can result in an 8% loss of edible forage in a 30% DM grass silage. With only 6 holes 26% of the silage surface can be covered in mould. The problem increases even more with higher dry matter forages with losses of up to 32% due to only 1 hole.
To prevent these losses protecting big bales during storage should be a priority. However, with 63% of big bale stacks showing some sort of bird damage and 29% of bale stacks on yards with cat damage it seems that up till now this problem has largely been ignored. A simple solution is now available. Secure Covers, originally developed to replace tyres on clamp silage, placed over big bale stacks will prevent bird and cat damage. The long lasting covers are made from knitted polyethylene which, unlike the open structure of traditional bird netting, produces a very strong cover which prevents birds and cats damaging the silage wrap. The Secure Covers can be held in place with gravel bags attached to the cover using StackPack clips every 5m.
The winner of this year’s Federation of Welsh Grassland Societies Big Bale Silage Competition was praised by the judges for his use of Secure Covers to protect his big bale silage. Richard Anthony of Tythegston Farm, Bridgend, Mid Glamorgan considers using Secure Covers to protect his big bale silage from damage as a ‘no brainer and it’s something I should have done years ago’.
Secure Stackpack
Developed to provide strong anchorage points on Secure Covers when covering silage, straw, hay bale stacks or forage bags. This flexible system can also be applied to tarpaulins and other sheet materials for a variety of farm situations.
Each StackPack conatins :- 50 Secure clips and 100 heavy duty cable ties.
Fix clips every metre for use on straw stacks or every 5-10 metres over big bale stacks.
