Pullin' strings from a round bale

[lavacarancher]

Now this don't apply to those of you who use net wrap on your round bales.

A neighbor came over one mornin' when I was puttin' out hay. He talked for a while and by the time I got to the last bale he says "neighbor, don't mean to get in your business but why don't you cut all them strings - kinda low on one side, pull them all together on the other side and hook em to your mule and pull them all at one time".

Well, duh! I told him I knew about that trick but I just wanted to get a little exercise. Seriously though, I learn something new everyday and I thought I would pass it along but heck, you folks probably already knew this trick.

 

[IluvABbeef]

Yeah I know this trick, for sure. But there are exceptions.

1) If you got a frozen bale, or the bale is caked with ice on one side and the strings are stuck in the ice: that's when you gotta use even more muscle power than if your feeding a non-iced up bale. If the strings are stuck in the ice, then you gotta take the strings on half way to the other side of the bale, take a few at a time, and pull. If you're lucky or quite strong you can grab all of them together and pull them out of the ice. If you can't get them out, cut the strings right up next to the ice, or if a big chunk of ice and bale comes off, its obvious that you just shake off the ice or crack it on the frozen ground or against the bale feeder. It's harder when the chunk if ice is about the same height as you.

2) Strings throughout the bale. A real pain in the ass, 'cause you're just pulling string that goes right to the centre of the bale. Better off to be left alone and get the strings after the cattle've eaten it down...only you're risking getting string in the rumen. But then again, it ain't too often that you get a bale with strings all through it now is it?

 

[hayray]

That is why I use sisal because if I don't get all the twine off.

 

[Angus In Texas]

Seems like it'd be more work than it's worth.

 

[Cowdirt]

As has been stated before on this board; sisal is a plant. If the cows have a craving for it; let them eat it.
Now poly twine is a whole nother matter.

 

[hillrancher]

I will share my way of getting the strings off. When not frozen cut on one side of bale while lifted off the earth and go to the other side and bunch with a enough slack to tie in a knot then pull off and I use and empty feed sack to put twine in. If frozen will roll them behind truck or in front of tractor loader to bust the snow and ice loose pick up do the same as above most of the time the string will come off.

 

[Jogeephus]

Just my opinion but if you will take your knife or razor and cut downward across the string it will keep your blade from dulling so quickly and there is less problems cutting the string from it pulling. ie cut down from the one oclock rather than 3 oclock.

 

[Jim62]

I have always used the cut on one side, gather and pull from the other method.

What would be another way to get them off? :?:

 

[randiliana]

we generally cut from one side and pull from the other.

But when rolling bales out,
1. if they are frozen, drop the bale, roll the bale to break up the ice BEFORE you cut the strings. As HD said, this will often work. Sometimes you have to pull them one at a time, but sometimes not.

2. if the ice won't break up, then we cut above OR below the frozen spot, pull the part of the strings we can to the other side of the bale and tie them in a knot. Then we leave them and unroll the bale. Sometimes you can go back and then pull them. But if you have 300 lbs of ice/hay frozen to them we just leave them out there. The cows eat most of the hay that was frozen to the strings. Since the strings are all tied together, they don't eat the string, you don't end up with a hundred short pieces floating around because you broke the strings pulling them, and you pick the whole ball up later. Later might mean the next day, or usually when the ground thaws out and they are no longer frozen down.

3. If you have strings throughout the bale, I love our deweze fot these ones, Take the outside strings off, then just roll. The spinner on the deweze gathers all the strings and the bale still rolls out. You end up with a pile of strings and hay wound around the spinner, but no longer in the hay. If you are rolling out with a tractor, 2 people are nice, one to go along and cut/pull strings and the other to drive the tractor.

If you are feeding in a feeder about all you can do is to cut the strings above or below the frozen spot (preferably have the frozen spot as close to the ground as you can). Then pull the strings over to the other side and tie them in a knot and leave them there. Pick them up before you put the next bale in.

 

[Rod]

I always cut and pull from the same side while I've got them off the ground.

 

[lavacarancher]

I have always used the cut on one side, gather and pull from the other method.

What would be another way to get them off? :?:

Pullin' one string at a time.

 

[dun]

I just stand them on end, cut all the strings on one side and pull them all at once. That will get everything except the tag ends that don;t go completely around the bale

 

[backhoeboogie]

I have always used the cut on one side, gather and pull from the other method.

What would be another way to get them off? :?:

Pullin' one string at a time.

Who would do that?

 

[Stocker Steve]

A neighbor came over one mornin' when I was puttin' out hay. He talked for a while and by the time I got to the last bale he says "neighbor, don't mean to get in your business but why don't you cut all them strings - kinda low on one side, pull them all together on the other side and hook em to your mule and pull them all at one time".
.

What if you don't have a horse or a mule?

 

[hayray]

Even with sisal it is important to take the string off for ear tag retention. And when I was bale grazing this winter I had to use a hatchet and still could not get all the frozen strings off. I had bought some bales with poly on them and I hate leaving that stuff out there.

 

[randiliana]

Even with sisal it is important to take the string off for ear tag retention. And when I was bale grazing this winter I had to use a hatchet and still could not get all the frozen strings off. I had bought some bales with poly on them and I hate leaving that stuff out there.

Yep, nothing like twine to take an ear tag out. Cuts through the buttons better than a knife.

I detest leaving the stuff out there too, but if you tie it all together, then it will all stay in a bunch and makes it much easier to pick up later. Once it has thawed enough to do so, that is.

 

[backhoeboogie]

Even with sisal it is important to take the string off for ear tag retention. And when I was bale grazing this winter I had to use a hatchet and still could not get all the frozen strings off. I had bought some bales with poly on them and I hate leaving that stuff out there.

Yep, nothing like twine to take an ear tag out. Cuts through the buttons better than a knife.

I detest leaving the stuff out there too, but if you tie it all together, then it will all stay in a bunch and makes it much easier to pick up later. Once it has thawed enough to do so, that is.

The brush hog will wind it all up for you

I hate wire or string or anything in the brush hog

 

[ChrisB]

I put in a tag on each ear just because I know several will be lost during the winter. Once in a while I have a cow that will lose both tags, but it sure beats pulling twine of bales in the cold. The only reason I use sisal is that I don't have to cut the string off, I like to keep things as simple as possible.

 

[Bez+]

Pulling strings from bales.

Spear the bale - lift it from the wagon - drive to the place you want to place it - lower it so the wife can cut the strings - then let her pull them any darned way she wants - if she thinks she cannot pull them because of ice - lift the bale and drop it first - then let her cut them - either way make sure she gathers up all the strings and puts them all in a feed bag - you do not want her to leave them in the field - they play heck on the front axle seals on a 4WD tractor.

If it is cold or wet - and she has done a good job - let her ride back to the house with you in the cab!

Bez+

 

[hillsdown]

Well, since I do all the feeding and we use round bales I always have a heavy duty hammer in the tractor with me. So if there is ice I will break up where ever the twine gets stuck..Time consuming, but if it saves a calf or cow it's worth the effort. Nothing p@sses me off more than seeing twine in the feed..

Bez, you really know how to spoil a gal... :lol2: :roll: Hey, at least your tractor has a cab....