– Neighborly Advice –
All wrapped up
Quality twine and net wrap are keys to convenience and ease of handling for hay producers
By Trevor Whorton, Sr. Category Manager Baling & Building
Hay season is soon to be under way and some farmers may have already started. As farmers look ahead to the harvest, many may be wondering what kind of twine or netting will provide the best results.
The choice between twine or bale netting is a personal decision. Both options secure the bale, making it easier to transport, handle, and store, helping the bale to maintain its shape. Twine can be more economical on the front end, but bale netting, though more expensive, offers the advantage of saving labor and time.
Every farmer has different needs when it comes to twine. What works best for one farmer may not work for the other. The Co-op is well stocked to accommodate your twine and net wrap needs. We currently carry the following brands: Tytan (poly twine, sisal twine, net wrap), Bridon (poly twine, net wrap Integra and Magnet Label), Frank Winne (poly twine, sisal twine, net wrap) and Tama net wrap.
It’s best to go with a reputable name brand product when choosing twine. There are cheaper imports out in the marketplace but keep these questions in mind before you purchase them. Why is it cheaper? Is the footage there? Does the product have adequate tensile or knot strength? Does it have the proper amount of ultraviolet (UV) inhibitor added?
Poly twines are available in a single spool or a double spool. The numbers on the side of the twine states the footage and the tensile strength. For example, a single spool of 7200/170 has 7,200 feet in the spool and the breaking tensile strength is 170 pounds. With a double spool you will have two 3,600-foot spools banded together to equal the 7,200 ft.
Poly twine is offered in several sizes and knot strengths. It depends on the intended use as to which one would best suit your needs. Common sizes for small square baling are 9000/130, 7200/170, 7200/190, 9600/170, 9600/210, and 6500/210. The main sizes for round baling with poly twine are 20000/110 and 20000/130. For large square bales and Bale Barons you would use the 4000/440 twine.
The choice between twine or bale netting is a personal decision. Both options secure the bale, making it easier to transport, handle, and store, helping the bale to maintain its shape. Twine can be more economical on the front end, but bale netting, though more expensive, offers the advantage of saving labor and time.
Sisal twine is only available in a bundle of two spools in a paper-wrapped bag. Sisal twine is made with sisal/agave plant fibers. Most of the sisal twine is produced in Brazil and is an extensive hands-on product to produce. The sisal leaves are carefully selected and all the harvesting is done by hand and a machete. Once the leaves are cut, workers pack them on a donkey to be hauled to the stripping station. At this location, each sisal leaf is inserted into a machine and then pulled out quickly by hand to strip all the flesh from the cut leaves. This process is done a few times until all the flesh is removed from the fibers. Once it is stripped, the handful of fibers must then be dried. The drying process consists of draping the fibers over lines (similar to a clothesline) throughout the fields. Once dried, the fibers are loaded on trucks where they are hauled to the fiber brokers warehouse to be sorted and graded and then sold to sisal mills. The most common sisal twine used for hay is the 9,000-ft. sisal for square bales and the 16,000-ft. for round bales. These are available in green or gold.
Net wrap is also available in several different options. The baler model you use will determine what size of net wrap you will need. If you have a 4x4, 4x5, or a 4x6 baler, you will need to either use the 48- or 51-inch-wide net wrap. The 48-inch goes edge to edge on the bale and the 51-inch will go over the edge just a little to help create nice square shoulder bales. Different suppliers make different lengths of net wrap but the most common for the 48-inch and 51-inch netting is the 9,840-foot rolls.
If you’re running a 5x4, 5x5 or 5x6 round baler, you will need to either use the 64- or 67-inch-wide net wrap. The 64-inch goes edge to edge and the 67-inch will go over the edge. The most common length for the 64-inch and 67-inch is the 7,000-foot roll. If you need help evaluating your options for twine or net wrap, visit the staff at your local Co-op. They can help you choose the option that is best for your situation.
