Tama Assist Haylage vs Straw and Which Requires Stronger Bale Twine
If you’re baling both haylage and straw, it’s easy to assume one type of bale twine might suit both jobs. But these two crops put very different kinds of pressure on your baler and your twine.
Straw may be rough and dry, but haylage is heavy and moist. And when bales start to lose shape or burst during storage, it’s usually the twine that gets the blame. Choosing the right baling product for each material is crucial if you want your bales to remain intact.
Because of its dry nature, straw can be tough on twine. Straw bales also need to stay compact, especially large square bales or bales used for building, so the twine must have the strength to keep the shape without fraying or slipping under pressure.
Haylage is very different. It’s a high-moisture crop, typically baled at 40 to 50 per cent moisture. These bales are significantly heavier than straw bales. The reason for this density is to support an oxygen-free environment for fermentation, as haylage must be allowed to ferment to increase its nutritional value.
Haylage bales are tied with twine (or netwrap) before they are wrapped in bale stretchfilm to create an anaerobic environment. This is where the choice of twine (or alternatives like netwrap) comes into play. As a haylage bale is much heavier than a straw bale, slipping knots or fraying twine can lead to deformed bales. This may cause the bale’s stretchfilm to tear, which ruins the fermentation process and leads to spoilage.
So while straw is abrasive, heavy haylage bales put constant pressure on the twine from the inside out. That’s why haylage generally requires stronger twine than straw.
Strong bale twine is characterised by:
- resisting bale shock and tension
- maintaining secure knots
- avoiding excessive stretch
For high-density bales like haylage, bale twine must be able to withstand constant compression and transport without slipping knots or losing tension. Equally important is how well the twine responds to the crop type and baling conditions; for example, resisting high pressure in short, dry straw, or assuring non-slip knots in high-moisture, fermenting forage.
Tama’s twine range is designed for various baling situations, offering twine choices depending on crop type, baler model and bale density.
For haylage and other high-density crops, Tama’s TamaTwine+ IMPAX® LSB Power is a recyclable, versatile choice. It’s suitable for all large square balers and is ideal when maximum density is required. It is well suited to moist crops like haylage, where holding power and knot integrity are critical.
For short straw, especially baled under challenging conditions, IMPAX HD Ultimate twine is engineered to withstand the pressure from dry, brittle stalks. It’s a good choice when baling heavy square bales in tough conditions, and the material is coarse or rough.
Ask the Tama team for advice on the best twine for your particular bales and baling conditions.