Silage Insights - Testimonials
The Importance of Quality Film in Bale Silage Production

Contractor Stefan Metz discusses his practical experience in bale silage and what is essential throughout the process.

Since 1990, Stefan Metz, a 38-year old contractor, has been managing his own company in the central Hessian town of Stadtallendorf-Schweinsberg. Together with his wife, three full-time employees, and eight part-time workers, Stefan Metz offers a comprehensive range of agricultural services: from corn sowing, to manuring, grass swathing, chaffing and loading and grass silage to bale silage production. The company of this trained farmer and agronomist was recently the first Hessian company to receive the "Certified Specialist", award by the Federal Association of Agricultural Contractors. It stands for certified professionalism and customer satisfaction.

The company produces bale silage mainly for dairy cattle farms - 6000 to 7000 every year. Especially for smaller farms with little forage, bale silage offers an attractive alternative to clamp silage. "Bale silage also pays for our clients with larger farms of around 250 cattle that may have rented grassland far away from their farms. Since the bales can be stored on location, the harvest transport is no longer necessary, thus turning the bales into a thrifty alternative", explain Stefan Metz. Add to this that in case of damage, only the affected bale might be partially unusable. When using a clamp silo, much more forage often gets wasted due to external events - e.g. water seepage. "Weather is yet another factor entering the bale silage equation. Due to the dry weather this year, we produced more bales than during wet years."

The Importance of High-Quality Stretch Film
Stefan Metz always winds bales with two layers of net film and at least six layers of stretch film. Even if a customer demanded otherwise, he wouldn't use less. "Our experience shows that one should only use the highest quality products. Poor quality film tears more easily and any savings made on the film price is quickly lost during the loss of time while winding".

"In the past, we have also asked our customers and it became evident that no customer was interested in buying bales with less film just because it might translate to saving one euro but with greater potential damage and therefore greater losses," says Stefan Metz.
The contractor tried out several films before choosing the stretch film that best suited his needs. "We now use a three-layered film that integrates the glue in between the layers. Those can therefore no longer jam the winder. We have been very happy ever since".

Cost Savings during Bale Silage Production
In times of increasing prices, the topic of cost savings also concerns contractors. Stefan Metz says: "In order to reduce costs during the production of silage bales, I could imagine the development of a thinner film that is as tear-resistant and robust as a traditional quality film. This would then result in less material used". In general, Stefan Metz anticipates cost reductions by using more efficient machines capable of winding more bales in lesser time.

Tips on Bale Development
Metz usually winds bales with a diameter of 1.30 m. "If the customer wants, we can also produce 1.40 m. However, this requires a very dry silage since the bale would be too heavy otherwise", explains the contractor.

For the production of bale silage, Stefan Metz uses a round baler of the Krone Combi Pack type." Since this press is a variable press - not a fixed chamber press - we have less trapped air. This increases the bale silage quality", he explains. "In very general terms, I recommend that everyone pay attention to a very high and even harvest compression-level when producing bales".

< Back to Autumn 2008 Newsletter
< Back to Testimonials section