Net Wrap Removal Tips and Tricks

[lucky7chief]

I thought this might have already been covered, but I haven't been able to find any other threads on the subject. I will start feeding hay with net wrap soon and am looking for some tips and ideas for removing the wrap easily. I would rather not remove it at the bale ring because of mud, manure, and cow mob. I think I would waste a lot of hay if I took the wrap off at the gate or barn. What tips and tricks have others used?

 

[lucky7chief]

I found this online. It's probably too expensive to justify.

http://www.keltec.ie/baleslice.html

 

[cowgirl8]

we feed it with a spike hay fork, and before its set down you just unravel it.. If you dont want to lose hay, you have to do it right where you set it. If you dont want to do it in the mud, move where you feed every time.

 

[M5farm]

if you use a fork instead of a prong slide it under the bale and then cut the wrap across the top take the 2 ends and tie them to the fork frame and when you back away the net will pull away. this also works with strings. the key is using a 2 prong fork to hold the bale together

 

[cowgirl8]

if you use a fork instead of a prong slide it under the bale and then cut the wrap across the top take the 2 ends and tie them to the fork frame and when you back away the net will pull away. this also works with strings. the key is using a 2 prong fork to hold the bale together

Interesting...good idea.....i guess though you have a mess if it comes off with the bale....

 

[M5farm]

no mess. it slides out from under the bottom of the bale. It will work with a prong but you cant cut the wrap/strings until you get the bale where you want it. with the hay fork and both ends tied to the frame of fork the wrap/strings does not get tangeled or wrapped around the axles.

 

[bigbull338]

we use pocket knives or box cutters to cut the twine.so we can take the twine off before feeding.

 

[TexasBred]

Use to use a carpet knife but now use one of those knives with the retractable razor blade...Cobalt brand from Lowes...cut across the bale before setting it on the ground, remove the net wrap, set bale on gound and put hay ring on it.

 

[Brute 23]

My advice for net wrap is use string.

 

[Rafter S]

When feeding it with forks, I've cut across it near the top, then pull both sides down flat with the ground. When I pull up to the bale with the forks they will go over the net, so when I pick up the bale the net stays there.

 

[TexasBred]

My advice for net wrap is use string.

Why???

 

[cowgirl8]

I'll be happy the rest of my life if i never have to pull strings off a bale ever again.
I asked my son, who feeds around 1000 bales a year, how he deals with the net wrap. He says he unwraps it when he gets the gate. I asked, what about the bale, does it flake off. He said sometimes, but most times the bale hangs together. I told him about the forks and tying it to the forks....he just laughed. The only bales i deal with are the ones we put in the corral and i dont like big clumps of hay dropped on my lawn. So i wait till i get in the corral and unwrap it where i set the bale..

 

[Jbonnot03]

We use a two man operation. We'll haul 11 bales to the pasture on our trailer. One man does the unloading on the tractor, the other guy does the cutting/hay rings. Leave the bale a few feet off the ground. Cut wrap near bottom. Go to other side and pull net out from under the bale. Set bale down and then pull net from top. It's not too bad with two people. With one it would be a PITA.

 

[JSCATTLE]

I use a utility/ razor knife. I put my hay in racks I made out of drill stem .i just hold the bale over the rack and cut the net . It's a lot easier than unwrapping it.

 

[sim.-ang.king]

Set it up on end, and unwrap it.

 

[dun]

Set it up on end, and unwrap it.

That's how we do it too. But we have a feeding area that we can run a piece of polywire across the access so the cows aren;t helping.

 

[Drzr]

Bought several pair of .79 scissors when Harbour Freight have on sale... pick up roll carry to where I'm feeding cut net pull it off quick and easy to me.

 

[Cibster]

I usually leave the bale a few feet off ground, use a box cutter to cut across and then pull it off. We are predicted to get some freezing rain and possibly snow tomorrow. So getting net wrap off when there is ice and snow packed on the top of them is a whole new ball game. I use the same process, but often have to use a few more choice words when trying to pull the frozen chunk of net wrap/hay off where the ice sat and froze up. Not looking forward to that!

 

[greybeard]

When feeding it with forks, I've cut across it near the top, then pull both sides down flat with the ground. When I pull up to the bale with the forks they will go over the net, so when I pick up the bale the net stays there.

Same here, and I lose very very little hay when I move it on to the feeding area. Maybe it depends wher the end wrap stopped and I've just been lucky.
I've sure never had one just plumb fall apart.
I do string wrapped the same way. I don't like the strings or wrap anywhere near where I feed.

 

[cowgirl8]

The real question is, what do you do with that wrap once its off.