Introducing Topwrap 2000

23 March 2009

Farmers and contractors can make significant cost savings to bale wrapping this season by investing in the first pre-stretched film available in the UK and Ireland that can be used on a conventional wrapper without changes to gears or settings.  This film is stretched during manufacture as well as on the wrapper, which means it clings even more tightly to the bale and gives an even better seal.

Called Volac Topwrap 2000, each 2,000m roll carries 33% more plastic but weighs the same as a 1500m roll. One roll will wrap up to 10 more bales than a roll of traditional film. So with fewer roll changes, reduced time spent in roll and waste handling, lower logistic costs together with the extra output, a 10% cost savings over conventional film can be made.

For Dumfriesshire based contractor, AK Farm Services managed by Alistair Kingan, Topwrap 2000 has improved his baling operation’s efficiency and overall output, which adds up to 15,000 big bales a year. “We row up, bale and wrap up to 600 big bales a day using a McHale Fusion and previously we would have to stop more than ten times to reload with new rolls of conventional wrap. Topwrap 2000 has reduced the number of roll changes to eight,” he explains. “The subsequent time savings are considerable; it means we’ve been able to step up hourly throughput from 50 bales to between 55 and 60 bales, and we also benefit from less hours spent on the machine, the reduced running costs and so on.”  

“We’ve found this new pre-stretch wrap is just as strong as conventional films and it goes on just as well, so it ticks all the boxes as far as making general improvements are concerned. While tractors and wrappers are becoming more efficient, it’s equally important the film comes up to scratch too if we really are going to do a better, faster and more efficient job.”
 
Volac Topwrap 2000 wrapped grass silage big bales have also been proven in independent trials at SAC Crichton Royal, Dumfries to have a fermentation equal to those wrapped in standard film. Silage made from bales of perennial ryegrass were wrapped with the same number of layers of either Topwrap 2000 or standard film and analysed six months later. “The nutritional value of the Topwrap 2000 wrapped bales was not compromised,” commented SAC’s Jenny Bell. “In fact they analysed exactly the same pH, ME and protein as those wrapped with standard film, demonstrating that thinner film can be used to replace standard wrap with equal success in terms of forage quality.”

For further details contact Volac on freephone 0800 919808

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