Tama Assist Crop Specific Baling Strategies and Baling Products: How Straw, Hay, Silage and Whole Crop Baling Differ
When it comes to harvesting and baling, the biggest challenge isn’t just getting crops off the field. Choosing the right baling products can be tricky, especially when working with varied or unfamiliar crops.
Straw, hay, silage and whole crops behave differently once cut and have specifications for physical conditions, baling wrap type and layers per bale. In this guide, we discuss crop-specific baling strategies for each crop type and how to choose the best baling products for your baling needs.
Straw has unique challenges because it’s baled drier than other baled crops and is more “active” when compressed. This means greater pressure on your bale netwrap (or bale twine) and more layers needed (compared to silage) to keep your straw bales in shape and prevent them from bursting.
Wraps per bale: It’s recommended to use three to four layers of netwrap for straw bales, though you may need to use more if your bales are to withstand handling and transport or if chop length is short.
Use a bale netwrap like TamaNet+ Edge To Edge®. It’s the longest straw netwrap in the market (4 500m) and is developed to keep bales stable and intact in extreme conditions.
Additional considerations: Check the tension settings of your baler. Too slack, and your bale net may not spread or cut correctly. Too tight, and the bale could burst. To get this right, measure the length of ten “triangle bases” on your stretched-out netwrap both on the roll and on the bale. If the length of ten triangles on the bale is 5-10% longer than on the roll, your tension is correct.
Also, check that your baler is applying as many layers of netwrap as intended after you’ve wrapped the first few bales. If your net fails to feed correctly, the rotations set on the baler and the layers on the bale may be different.
When baling hay, one of the most important quality factors is moisture. Get it wrong, and you risk moulds and bacteria, nutrient loss, and even fire from internal combustion of the bale.
Moisture content: For small rectangular hay bales, moisture content can vary from 15-22%, but lower is better to prevent moulds and spoilage. For large, round bales, try to keep moisture below 18% (15% is ideal). If baling conditions mean you have to bale wetter material, see our guide to wet hay baling for advice.
To give you an idea of how much difference moisture in hay can make, research shows that the difference between 20% and 25% moisture can nearly double dry matter (DM) loss and can increase protein loss from 6% to nearly 9%.
Wraps per bale: Hay bales are less “springy” than straw and so less prone to bursting. Two to three wraps per bale is generally sufficient, especially when using high-quality netwrap. Similarly, when baling rectangular bales, choose quality bale twine to keep your bales stable and intact during moving and storage.
Additional considerations: Bale density also plays a critical role with hay, as more compact bales help limit moisture ingress. This is especially important when storing bales outside, so make sure to use top-quality bale netwrap with UV protection that keeps hay bales properly compressed. AHDB provides further guidance on hay baling and storage best practices.
For grass silage, there are additional considerations, because the end goal is fermentation. That means you need to ensure the bale is densely packed and properly wrapped to keep oxygen out. The right moisture level is also critical: AHDB recommends 40–50% DM for bale silage (50-60% moisture). This ensures sugar levels are optimal for fermentation.
Wraps per bale: Aim for 2 to 3 wraps with a good netwrap product for proper compaction, and then follow up with your silage wrap. Some farmers prefer to use ‘Net Replacement Film’ (NRF) for the initial bale wrap, but it’s worth noting that NRF is generally more flimsy than a good netwrap product. That means more layers and fewer bales per roll, so it’s worth thinking about which netwrap offers the best value before you get started.
Silage wrap (also called stretchfilm/stretch wrap) involves similar considerations regarding cost efficiency and the number of layers to use. A high-quality silage wrap, like Polybale Pro, suitable for square and round bales, provides maximum protection from puncturing, oxygen, UV rays and weather in as few as six layers.
Additional considerations: To optimise your silage bales for anaerobic fermentation, ensure they are densely compacted – chop length is important. A short chop (around 2 cm) is generally better, but it depends on the silage crop’s DM content.
Maize and other whole crop silages are important alternatives to traditional fodder, especially in tough growing conditions (such as droughts) and low availability of grass silage. However, each of these crops comes with specific requirements in terms of DM content and the most suitable bale wrap. ADHB provides specific guidelines for different silage crops.
Wraps per bale: Whole crop bales require more silage wrap than other crops. In general, a high-quality silage wrap should provide optimal durability and protection in 6+ wraps per bale. For the initial netwrap, 2.5 to 3 layers are sufficient.
Additional considerations: Whole crop silage is generally more susceptible to mould and yeast spoilage than grass silage. Therefore, it’s important to ensure your silage bale wrap is airtight and puncture-resistant, and that the crop is chopped to a proper length for that specific crop.
Specialised forage harvester headers can ensure the crop stays nutritious. For example, with maize, a proper maize header not only chops stalks to the right length, but also cracks the kernels, making the feed more digestible.
By now, it’s clear that there are many considerations when it comes to harvesting and baling different crop types. But an easy win is to choose top-quality netwrap and silage bale products. Get that right, and the hard work you’ve put in pays off with better quality silage and happier, healthier herds.
Need help selecting the perfect bale wrap for your operation? Reach out. TAMA is here to help.