| Shows
PFC working smart to keep your forage dry
Keeping bales away from excessive moisture should be the goal of all producers when you consider the costs incurred
for not doing so. Forage losses from improper storage of bales can be as high as 40 percent.
he reality is that the cost of fixed
infrastructure is getting
increasingly expensive; as a
result many producers leave the
bales to sit out in the weather for
months before being fed. Based
on 1000mm (40 inches) of rainfall, a single large
round bale sitting out in the weather may receive
as much as 110 litres of water during the course
of the year. With each rainfall event, the bale’s
water shedding ability is diminished.
Balers ability to produce a dense bale have
improved in the last few years. Tight bales help
shed water significantly, not just by shedding
water, but also by maintaining a round shape at
ground level. Loose bales that sag create more
surface area contact with the ground, resulting in
major losses.
Bale stacking with the use of a tarpaulin in a
pyramid design is a tried and tested approach
that keeps bales dry and makes the best use of
tarpaulins. Tarpaulins are temporary and movable
structures offering greater versatility in stacking
locations.
With over 15 years of in-field experience in all
UK conditions, PFC know how to make your
tarped hay and straw perform.
PFC tarpaulins are UV treated to last 7-8 years.
This is achievable if you follow the simple ‘KIT’
rule, Keep It Tight. Using the ‘SUPER CINCH’ tie
down system this is possible even in the
strongest of winds. The additional benefit of PFC
tarpaulin is the attachment method between the
T
www.farmingmonthly.co.uk
rope and the sheet. Typical eyelets have a
breaking point of 6-12 newton metres, The PFC
tarpaulin systems weakest point is 1100 newton
metres. With around 10 times the strength to
eyelet tarpaulins; applying tension to the sheet is
done without risk of failure.
You must consider the potential losses of not
protecting your bales. How many times have we
heard “it is only the top layer of a square bale
stack?” If we use 240cmx120cmx90cm @ 450kg
bales stacked 12 bales deep 3 bales wide and 6
bales high as the example. This would equate to
36 bales in a 216-bale stack lost due to a lack of
tarping. Over a 5-year period, a PFC premium
PERFORMER tarpaulin @ £649 will cost £0.60
per bale with no loss of the top layer. With straw
prices at an average £80 tonne delivered, this
excludes the extreme cost in 2017/2018 season.
The 36 bales (16.2 tonne) written off each year
will cost £1296 every year and over the 5-year
period will be in excess of £6400 wasted. Not
tarping your straw can be up to 10 times more
expensive than a simple alternative. The numbers
are in your favour to use the simple, strong and
manageable solution.
Contact your tarping experts for the perfect
solution to outdoor forage storage.
June 2018 | Farming Monthly | 23