Net wrap is widely used as a hay baling material, but it does have its disadvantages. Unpacking is time consuming and sometimes frustrating. Labor is a precious resource, so producers are always looking for the most effective way to remove the mesh wrap from the bales being fed.
Olivia Amundson, a calf promotion expert at South Dakota State University, explained the pros and cons of using mesh wraps in a recent SDSU Livestock Newsletter.
Compared to sisal, using mesh wrapping paper is more effective, more effective, and looks better. Compared with bales wrapped with twine, bales with net wraps lose less dry matter. Net wrapped bales can better maintain their shape during handling and transportation, and can also provide better preservation under humid conditions.
However, if the net wrap is not stored under the roof, snow and ice will make it difficult to remove the net wrap. The bales stored outside are also prone to water accumulating at the bottom of the bales.
The biggest disadvantage of a wrapped cotton bale is the time and frustration after removing the package. Therefore, some farmers put the net wrap on the bale and grind it with the hay. The remaining net-like wraps will accumulate in the rumen, causing plastic diseases, which will affect the health and performance of the cattle.
According to the feeding method of the cotton bales, the method of removing the net wraps will be changed. Simple tricks can help producers who feed bales to feeders to remove net wraps.
“If the bale fork is used to lift the bale into the feeder, the fork should enter the lower half of the bale at an angle of about 20 degrees so that the bale can be lifted above the feeder without slipping out Fork,” Amundson explained. Before lifting the bale, find the end of the net wrap and tuck it firmly under the wrap on the top of the bale.
“When preparing to put the bale into the feeder, tilt the fork to a thirty-degree angle, and then find the starting point of the net wrap; the part that was previously stuffed at the top. After finding it, start to unpack the net wrap. Keep the net wraps from accumulating on the ground, and wrap them or tie them into bundles as they move around the bales until all the wrappers are taken out of the bales.” She concluded.
If you put the bales in the pasture or on the back of the hydration bed, make sure that the bales will not fall apart when traveling to the field. Amundson provides the following four steps:
2. Once the top third has been removed by three quarters, remove the unopened third and wrap it on the bale. Take one end of the rope and put on the bracelet.
4. After the rope is tightly fixed on the whole bundle, remove the rest of the net wrap. In this way, when the bale is transferred to another location, it can remain intact.
Michaela King served as the Hay & Forage Grower summer editorial intern in 2019. She is currently studying at Twin Cities University in Minnesota, majoring in journalism and photography. Kim grew up on a beef farm in Big Bend, Wisconsin, and her 4-H experience included showing beef and dairy cows.