Tips

Store bales upright so the ends sit on the ground, this helps them keep their shape. Avoid stacking low DM bales too high, as it can lead to issues with the film. Keep stacks away from trees to reduce the risk of bird damage, and move bales off the field soon after wrapping to protect their quality.

Wrap bales within two hours to protect feed value and keep the quality of the crop. Use the right film and apply at least six layers with a 50% overlap, making sure the stretch is controlled and the rollers are kept clean for a smooth, consistent finish.

Choose bales with higher Dry Matter (DM); they ferment better, hold their shape, and store more reliably.

Pay close attention to the size and shape of your bales. Oversized or misshapen bales can cause problems during wrapping, so it’s worth keeping an eye on this while you’re baling to ensure a smooth, reliable wrap.

When a bale hangs up in the chamber instead of ejecting cleanly, it can scuff the net on the rollers and cause problems for the first few bales of the season. Fresh paint or rusty patches on the side walls can also stop the bale from turning smoothly at the start. To avoid this, disengage the PTO before you eject those early bales, giving the side walls time to polish in. It’s a simple step that helps you roll into the season without trouble.

Always start the season with clean, rust free surfaces. Any point where the net touches metal should be thoroughly cleaned and free of rust to keep the baler running smoothly and ensure consistent, trouble free wrapping every time.

When storing hay or straw bales outside, make sure both sides of each bale get as much sunshine as possible, it helps them dry out properly after rain. Bales stacked East–West leave the north facing side permanently in the shade, which stops wet bales from drying. Stacking them North–South lets sunlight reach both sides, helping every bale dry evenly. Keep it in mind when planning your stack.

When a bale gets stuck in the chamber instead of ejecting cleanly, it can scuff the net on the rollers and cause issues with the first bales of the season. Fresh paint or rusty patches on the side walls can also stop those early bales from turning smoothly. To prevent this, disengage the PTO before ejecting until the side walls have polished in. It’s a small step that helps you start the season smoothly and avoid unnecessary trouble.

Linking twine spools takes time, so it’s worth doing it right. Joining the spools gives you a flatter, cleaner knot that moves smoothly through the guides and tensioners, helping prevent problems later on.

It’s normal for the first 10–20 metres of twine on a spool to look uneven or kinked, it’s simply down to how the twine is wound during production. Once you pull it tight, it straightens out. As it moves toward the knotter, the twine passes through the spring clamps in the twine box and the twine brakes just before the knotter, and these need to be set to the correct tension. When everything is adjusted properly, that early twisted twine won’t cause any issues at all.

Handle your twine spools with care, they’re surprisingly fragile. Any drop, crush, or shock can disturb the winding pattern inside, causing the spool to break down as it runs. Keeping the spools in good condition ensures the twine feeds smoothly from the first metre to the last.

When you pull twine from the spool, make sure you’re pulling from the correct end; the one that unwinds counter clockwise from the inside. If you pull from the wrong end, the twine will twist into a big knot, which can quickly lead to problems in the knotter.

New bales at the start of the season can be damaged if a bale hangs up in the chamber instead of ejecting cleanly, the rollers can scuff the net. Fresh paint or rusty patches on the baler side walls can also slow the bale from turning for the first few bales. The simple fix is to disengage the PTO before ejecting until the side walls have polished in, helping you start the season smoothly.