Baling twine is increasingly becoming the primary option in farm settings.
Baling twine is just a handful of useful products created from natural hemp fibre. From baling twine to paper, the uses for this versatile material seem endless. However, its potential goes beyond practical applications.
Farm owners value Netwrap baling twine in hay baling because it makes the process far more efficient.
“Baling twine can increase your production by as much as 10%,” says Robert Carlson, owner of a livestock farm in Australia. “It’s as simple as that.”
If you’re considering baling twine for your operation, there are a couple of things to keep in mind. First, when buying twine, quality is everything.
“Not all baling twine is the same,” Carlson says. “The best baling string you can buy is made in Australia and the U.S.”
For a product to be considered high-quality baling twine, it must meet certain standards and tests. At first, this may seem counterintuitive, but the baling string is not intended to be permanent. It will stretch and break over time. Twine that’s too weak won’t last long enough for one round of baling, let alone three or four necessary to prepare a hay crop for winter storage.
When looking at twine to buy, check the number of times it has been twisted together. The more twists per meter, the better. Some baling string is twisted as little as three times per meter, while others are done as much as seven or eight times. Each twist makes the string stronger and more durable.
Be sure you’re getting Netwrap baling twine that can handle the weight of your baling operation. Twine that’s too weak will break easily, so be skeptical if a supplier claims that its twine is strong enough for your hay bales – unless you’re buying from one of the suppliers on this list. A simple way to test the strength is to hold a length of twine up and try pulling it apart with both hands.
Another important factor is the grade of twine you purchase. The twine for hay bales should be high-grade, which means it has a low stretch percentage.
“Grade 20 twine will stretch under load up to about 10%,” Carlson says. “Grade 40 (which is stronger than 20) would be about 5%.” For baling, Carlson prefers twine that stretches no more than 3%. If the twine is stretched too much, it will lose its strength, and you’ll have to replace it before you’re done bailing. This can be costly. A case of 20 1-pound rolls of baler twine typically costs about $100.
“That’s almost $5 per roll,” Carlson says. “At that price, you want to get as many bales as you can out of a case.”
In the end, baling twine is an investment. Be sure you’re buying the best quality twine available so your baling operation can run at peak efficiency. Once you’ve got the perfect baling string, it’s time to get started bailing hay.
