Plastic Bale Cap Protects Hay

Plastic Bale Cap Protects Hay BALE HANDLING You can protect baled forage from moisture damage and remain safely on the ground with these new reusable plastic bale covers     Double “R” bale covers are semi-rigid sheets of recycled 1/8-in thick HDPE plastic with upturned edges on both sides They come with a 10 to 20-year life expectancy     The covers are available for any bale size including large square bales stacked on the strings or on edge; round bales up to 5 1/2 ft in dia ; and bundles of small square bales     The covers attach to the bale while it’s still on the ground using a loop of 1/8-in galvanized steel cable and a screw-in plastic hay anchor - one at each corner of the sheet     To apply a cover on a big square bale the operator sets it on top of the bale puts a half-hitch twist in one of the cables and places the twist on the first thread of the hay anchor Then he uses an impact wrench with a 3/4-in 6-point socket to screw the anchor through the loop and into the bale The operator then goes to the opposite end of the bale and pulls down on the loop to remove all the slack and then screws in another anchor The process is repeated on the other side of the bale     “There are many advantages to our covers A big one is that they can be applied or removed safely at ground level by one person even in windy conditions ” says manufacturer Rick Roberts “There’s no need to ever go up on top of a stack of bales     “Another advantage is the covers don’t need constant readjustment due to stack shrinkage and fabric stretching as is required with regular tarps ”             According to Roberts the plastic sheets can handle winds up to 100 mph if properly attached He says the upturned edges on both sides of the sheet help seal out moisture when rows of bales are stacked together “The flat part of the sheet is 1 in narrower than the width of the bale chamber and the flared edges of the sheet are 3 in wide and go up at a 60 degree angle As a result when rows of bales are stacked side by side the edges butt against each other to prevent water from getting between the bales ”     Roberts says the cover design allows more air circulation around the bales than conventional tarps which can trap moisture “In most cases you can start stacking and covering bales as soon as they’re baled ” he says     Round bale covers are octagon-shaped and the bales are stacked on end like barrels “They’re installed using the same principal as square bale covers ” says Roberts     Double R covers for 3 by 4 or 4 by 4 big square bales sell for $82 50 plus S&H The company offers 2 different sizes for round bales A cover for a 4-ft dia round bale sells for $63 50 plus S&H; $86 50 plus S&H for a 5 1/2-ft dia bale     Contact: FARM SHOW Followup Double R Bale Covers 335 N Chambers Hay Springs Neb 69347 ph 308 360-2350; rick@rrbalecovers com

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