Film&Film bale wrapping aims to improve silage quality

Silage bales are typically bound using net wrap and wrapped with several layers of bale wrap, sealing the silage and protecting it from the elements. However, if not used correctly, net wrapped bales can be prone to oxygen ingress, which can cause spoilage.

Film&Film bale wrapping uses Baletite – a stiff, wide roll film – in tandem with SilotitePro, for a dual wrapping system with a high tightening force that can be applied by most modern combi wrappers, making it an alternative to net wrap.

The F&F wrapping system is applied on the bale in the opposing direction to the outer bale wrap layers, cross wrapping the bale, helping to prevent oxygen ingress, and adding extra layers of protection around the mantle of the bale.

According to the firm, farmers using this system have seen an additional 7.35kg of dry matter per bale, versus traditional net wrap techniques. This was based on a trial conducted in 2013 by Dr Dave Davies, from Silage Solutions Limited, in real working farm conditions due to an enhanced fermentation process.

SilotitePro bale wrap uses multilayer pro technology to provide users with extra film length for fewer reel changes – compared to Silotite Original 25μm, 1500m film – and is now also available in a version that incorporates recycled plastic.

Further efficiencies can be found with the film’s easy-to-remove polyethylene (PE) sleeve package that replaces bulky boxes and can be recycled with Baletite baler film and SilotitePro bale wrap where PE film collections exists.

When it comes time to remove the film, the absence of a net wrap layer allows it to be peeled away easily from the surface of the silage without becoming entangled in the net. Additionally, the bale wrap films are made from the same PE material, eliminating the need for separation of crop plastic prior to recycling, unlike netwrap which typically cannot be recycled alongside bale wrap.