I'm looking at buying a bale wrapper for my hay instead of using tarps. Anyone have any experience? The wrapper sits on the three point - looks like it pulls off a spool of plastic. How much does it actually cost per bale for the plastic?
angus9259":2fdpmytd said:It'll be ball wrapped. That doesn't seem so awful bad. The "wrapper" is $2150.
dun":r7jmx51d said:Other then the wrapping, think about how you'll dispose of the used wrap.
Jo if your getting complete bales wrapped for a $1.50pr bale (plastic cost) then I need you to ship me some plastic cost this yr for wrapping 4x4s was running right at $4pr bale in plastic cost aloneJogeephus":32jfx87r said:About $1.00 per bale if its tube wrapped probably $1.50 if its ball wrapped.
Angus Cowman":1chfnrgi said:Jo if your getting complete bales wrapped for a $1.50pr bale (plastic cost) then I need you to ship me some plastic cost this yr for wrapping 4x4s was running right at $4pr bale in plastic cost aloneJogeephus":1chfnrgi said:About $1.00 per bale if its tube wrapped probably $1.50 if its ball wrapped.
hillrancher":l1eqr2t1 said:SRBeef, have you ever made haylage with your wrpper. Reason for asking I have bought one simular for haylage, haven't used yet. Dealer clames it will do it.
we were wraping for baleage so maybe that is the cost difference as we were probably puting more on for an airtight seal than just wrappinf a bale for weather protectionJogeephus":38f4jw2j said:Angus Cowman":38f4jw2j said:Jo if your getting complete bales wrapped for a $1.50pr bale (plastic cost) then I need you to ship me some plastic cost this yr for wrapping 4x4s was running right at $4pr bale in plastic cost aloneJogeephus":38f4jw2j said:About $1.00 per bale if its tube wrapped probably $1.50 if its ball wrapped.
Didn't do any this year but that was what I paid last year for plastic. Hard to believe it went up $3 a roll though. At $4 a roll and $1 for wrap ends up being $5/roll that could be put toward a hay barn.
don't ya just love that aroma of sileage on a cold dayJogeephus":224coyml said:I only do it to make baylage when I have to. Not for weather protection - don't need it for that. I hope I never have to use it again but its nice to have when weather paints you in a corner.
I would say just wrapping the surface wouldn't be too expensiveangus9259":5112j6ft said:Well, this all answers my questions - too pricey per bale for me to pursue since I'm still paying in the $100 a ton for hay range. It's hard to spend $4 to bale wrap em before equipment depreciation and time when a small bale only costs $20 and a big bale $50 to begin with. Back to the drawing board.
Maybe you could lease/rent a machine or hire it done. Not only look at the upfront cost but what is the value of the spoiled hay each year that you could saveangus9259":2bkafrq1 said:Well, this all answers my questions - too pricey per bale for me to pursue since I'm still paying in the $100 a ton for hay range. It's hard to spend $4 to bale wrap em before equipment depreciation and time when a small bale only costs $20 and a big bale $50 to begin with. Back to the drawing board.
SRBeef":1ql5nmtj said:angus9259":1ql5nmtj said:It'll be ball wrapped. That doesn't seem so awful bad. The "wrapper" is $2150.
I don't think there is a 3-point mounted "ball" (100% wrapped including the ends) bale wrapper out there especially not for $2150.
I suspect what you are looking at is one like I use:
These are a couple pictures from my wrapping last month of a portion of my winters hay. This year I am leaving a gap between bales and using up whatever pallets I can find for under a portion of my bales. These ones that are wrapped and up on pallets will be the last ones I feed next April.
These wrapped bales have definitely cut down dramatically on wasted hay especially from late December through the end of the WI hay feeding season May 1. I would not wrap over the corners as that traps water in side.
Cost of the plastic depends heavily on how much/how many wraps you put on. And there is definitely a knack to operating the machine efficiently. But you will learn. If you keep it to about 2 wraps average there is not that much plastic used. I just cut through it and the netwrap with a good sharp razor knife and the plastic plus the netwrap will compress into a volume about the same as a coffee can. I then put this in my recycling containers.
I plan on switching to black plastic film which is better for these open ended bales.
Other questions?
Jim