Wrapping fresh straw

tellmeabit

Hi, don't have storage for straw so thinking of getting a load and wrapping it.

Anyone any experience of this? Do's and don'ts

AntrimGlens

I wrap 50 round bales this past few years to store outside as like yourself I've no storage near the shed for the winter. I stack them three high, but find the odd one that the water gets inside the wrap and the bottom of the bale can be a bit wet. I've never had any bother with rats at them, or birds on them.

It's a dear enough way of storing them, given the price of them already but it does make it convenient for myself having them next to the shed when i need them.

tellmeabit

Thanks for reply, my silage man who would be wrapping them suggested wrapping and cutting hole in the base so allow them air.

I've only ever wrapped them for a couple weeks by hand but seems to be getting harder to find them closer to calving this past few years.

Base price

A farmer that we supply wbs/sbs too wraps them most years. Last year he didn't as the moisture was over 15% which can cause moulds to grow within the bales when wrapped. We haven't supplied him with any wbs this year and the spring barley is still been harvested at the moment. I reckon this year with the rain/moisture he will have to stack it in the shed that he normally uses for sheep.

Hard Knocks

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122575242#Comment_122575242

how is supply compared to last year

Base price

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122575904#Comment_122575904

A lot of spring barley has yet to be cut. I was at home in NCD earlier today and drove some back roads around me, Garristown, the Naul, Ashbourne, Rathfeigh, Screen and Tara. There is still a lot standing, some cut but the straw has yet to be baled. Some fields had the headlands baled. It was drizzling at about 4pm.

tellmeabit

So it has landed and even been wrapped since, got some rain over night but wrapped yesterday evening, one layer. Will see how we go. Not sure what way to stack them yet.probably on the round and maybe even put a tarp on them

farm to fork

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122581560#Comment_122581560

I wrap mine every year, I stack them on there ends. When you have them on there side the rain will soak in through the over lap. Not to frighten you but I used the minimum amount to wrap them the first year and it was disaster. There was a lot of water ingress and damage. Ever since I give them the full 16 revolutions of the wrapper. So the tarp maybe a good idea.

tellmeabit

Oh, he was saying that lads only half wrap them to stop them sweating. I have done the small few I bought by hand before and gave them a good cover, but this full load was beyond me!! 😲

Maybe pallet and tarp so. The tarp lets the water in but the bit of wrap should help

orm0nd

We wrap a few every year. They are stored in the shed first and then we wrap when we need to house the sheep. Make sure they're on dry ground, or pallets gravel base etc. They will soak water from the bottom otherwise.

tellmeabit

Do ye full wrap them?

SuperTortoise

Wrap them the last few years, first year put single wrap on then found outside let in a bit of water, still usable though.

This year put 24 wraps on so we'll see.

As long as they are dry when wrapped they will be fine.