# Sisal or plastic twine



## Circle T Acres (Nov 17, 2014)

Hi, I'm new to Hay Talk. I'm just a young guy farming his family farm. I make about 6-7k bales a year. I've always used Brazilian Sisal twine but the last few years I've tried several different brands and they are all inconsistent in thickness throughout the spool. For small square balers you can pretty much only find 9000 twine. I'm thinking about switching to plastic. I have a 1980 JD 336 baler that works very good. Suggestions or comments? Thanks in advance.


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## GawasFarm (Jul 10, 2013)

plastic hurts my hands so i will pay extra for sisal on small squares any day!


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## urednecku (Oct 18, 2010)

1) welcome to the forum!

2) I've baled probably close to 15k bales in the last year & 1/2 or so, with a 336. The baler had the sisal when I got it, so I got another couple rolls of it. My buyer wanted the plastic twine because it's lots stronger. Once I switched to the plastic, I've found he's right, have lots less trouble with it.

OH YEA, there are 2 different bill-hooks for that machine, 1 only works with the sisal, the other will work with either kind. I can't remember for sure how to tell them apart, but I think the multi-hook has an indention or groove under the hook.


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## hayray (Feb 23, 2009)

I bale around 20000 a year of small squares and I only use sisal. You are right, a lot of the sisal is really cheap and inconsistent. I think the buyers go down to Central /South America and buy what ever is available. I also only use 7200 and the best brands I have found are the Golden Harvest, Holland extra , and New Holland brand. New Holland brand twine is extra good but I have not been able to get that in a couple of years, my New Holland dealer thinks they stopped supplying it last year because of worker shortages in Brazil. Golden Harvest is readily available but you usually have to order it from your supplier ahead of time especially if you want the 7200.


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## Hayman1 (Jul 6, 2013)

I only use newholland 7200, they did run out last year during season but I always buy in Feb-March when they discount hay stuff about 10-15%. Had enough to get me through. Got several bales from the local coop that was green 7200 and it was fine, don't remember the brand. I use a thrower, do about 6k a year. I have always heard that plastic is harder on the guides and knives than sisal, but also agree with others that I like to handle sisal better and I am just a natural fibers kind of guy, hate plastic everything. Nothing like digging up a wad of plastic twine when you are mowing or tilling, stuff never rots and manages to rap itself around every spindle you have, then you need a razor knife and pliers.

According to the NH dealer, there was a sisal crop failure in Brazil last year that lead to the shortage- anyone else hear that or what the prognosis is this year?


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## Josh in WNY (Sep 7, 2010)

Welcome to Haytalk, Circle T!

I used to run a JD 336 (still have it as a backup) and now run a JD 348. I only use sisal, but I do understand the advantages that plastic has to offer. The deal breaker for me is the fact that plastic won't break down. I have pulled too much of the stuff out of farm equipment I have run for other people that I don't want to have that problem on my farm.

I took a snapshot from the technical manual I have for my balers that describes/shows the difference between the two billhooks. Hope it helps and good luck.


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## [email protected] (Jun 5, 2013)

Sisal continues to be short. Demand is around 1,600,000 bales per year and from what I hear there will only be around 1,200,000 available in the US. Price will be up another $5 plus over last year making sisal about double the price of plastic. Better get what you think you need early!


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## Hugh (Sep 23, 2013)

Don't use plastic because it creates more friction on the guides and this will add to global warming. The ices caps will melt, the sea levels will rise and cities will be flooded as far inland as Washington D.C. Millions will die. Well, wait a minute, on second thought, use sisal, it is 100% natural and the chopping down weeds to make it helps the spotted woodpeckers&#8230;


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## Vol (Jul 5, 2009)

Thanks for the laughter Hugh. :lol:

Regards, Mike


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## urednecku (Oct 18, 2010)

Josh in WNY said:


> I took a snapshot from the technical manual I have for my balers that describes/shows the difference between the two billhooks. Hope it helps and good luck.


Thanks, Josh. I know I'd seen that picture, but couldn't remember where, & didn't have enough time to find it.

I gotta agree with others, the plastic will make a mess, doesn't break down, cattle will eat it & it don't digest either. But when that's what the buyer wants...........

Just make sure when you are feeding it that you take ALL of it back outta the feed lot / pasture..


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## ARD Farm (Jul 12, 2012)

Sisal rots, plastic don't.

You can't even buy sisal around here....


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## somedevildawg (Jun 20, 2011)

Plastic here, can't get he strength I need out of sisal...


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## ARD Farm (Jul 12, 2012)

Plastic is inherently more slippery than sisal so twind discs have to have a bit more tendios and/or an extra segment added. Plastic discs can run sisal but not the opposite and most all manufacturerts on newer bailers already have plastic twine discs installed....


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## Vol (Jul 5, 2009)

I use to own a 1971 John Deere 24T.....it only had sisal ran thru it until around 1998 when I first ran poly twine thru it......and it never missed a beat. It seemed to perform better with poly twine. I sold it to a good friend of mine who bales 3-4 hundred to feed his wifes horses.

Regards, Mike


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## Nate926 (Apr 6, 2014)

Vol what kinda twine do you use? I remember you said it was for large squares, and that you ordered it. I can't find that post now.


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## Vol (Jul 5, 2009)

Nate, you may be thinking of another poster....I use Bridon XSR 210.....but the 170 is also good but almost the same price as the 210. The 210 is 14x18 baler twine.

Did your new wagon beds work out well for you?

Regards, Mike


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## Nate926 (Apr 6, 2014)

Mike... my wagons worked out great! Glad I went ahead and invested in good wagons.... I made an agreement with the builder today. Should have a new 40'x60' 16' at the eave hay barn in the next 5 weeks. Supposed to start on the pad as soon as the weather clears.


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## Guest (Nov 22, 2014)

I use plastic 210 knot. Like it for baling and using stack wagon. Ive picked up behind lesser knot strength before and bale wagon broke a lot of bales. Not sure if sisal would do the same?? When hauling manure tho i wish i had sisal twine so it would rot off my hammers.


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## ARD Farm (Jul 12, 2012)

Life is good, I have a new keyboard so speeeling is exponentially better.....

The 'trick', if you will concerning spreading manure with poly twine in it, is to be extra careful when feeding, to remove ALL the twine before hand... Poly is forever and poly positively ruins oil seals and bearings in anything it wraps around. Don't ask how I know........ 

I've become especially careful untwining rounds and/or squares and removing all the twine and disposing of it properly.

I don't know what the impact of poly is on an animal's digestive system and don't want to find out. I know it cannot be digested so hopefully it passes unfettered in the manure but there are lots of twists and turns in there so it pays to be prudent in removal.

Poly is certainly not recycleable whereas sisal is. My issue with sisal is it has a definite shelf life (on the bale) and mice love to chew it. It is easier on the hands (on small squares) but I'm not that 'green' to think the advantages outweigh the disadvantages.


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## Vol (Jul 5, 2009)

I use poly on my little squares but I use sisal twine on the rounds.....I hate plastic on rounds.

Regards, Mike


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## barnrope (Mar 22, 2010)

I like sisal twine and had very good luck with Holland Extra. Trouble is, my dealer can't seem to get it anymore. The worst twine I ever bought was Jaguar brand from Mills Fleet Farm.


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## Grateful11 (Apr 5, 2009)

Only use Ambraco Orangeline 20,000 here on rounds. It's cheap and easy to see but it never goes away either, have to keep it picked up and disposed of. The old JD 24T has never had anything but Sisal but hasn't been ran in 5 years.

http://www.ambraco.com/Twine/OrangelineBalebind_BalerTwine.php


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## PackMan2170 (Oct 6, 2014)

Hugh said:


> Don't use plastic because it creates more friction on the guides and this will add to global warming. The ices caps will melt, the sea levels will rise and cities will be flooded as far inland as Washington D.C. Millions will die. Well, wait a minute, on second thought, use sisal, it is 100% natural and the chopping down weeds to make it helps the spotted woodpeckers&#8230;


I INSIST on sisal twine for my organic alfalfa! It matches my tie-dyes and flip-flops.

Use plastic, man. Join the 21st century.


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## Guest (Nov 23, 2014)

ARD Farm said:


> Life is good, I have a new keyboard so speeeling is exponentially better.....
> 
> The 'trick', if you will concerning spreading manure with poly twine in it, is to be extra careful when feeding, to remove ALL the twine before hand... Poly is forever and poly positively ruins oil seals and bearings in anything it wraps around. Don't ask how I know........
> 
> ...


I am like u i try to be very careful when removing twine. My twine in manure mostly cones from sweeping vans before i load. Im just a cheap a** and use it for bedding. I cant bring myself to waste all that nice bedding.. but setting ot on fire would definitly clean up my twine situation


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## NDVA HAYMAN (Nov 24, 2009)

I also use Bridon 210 but I understand they filed for bankruptcy last year. I was able to buy a pallet last year early in the season so don't know what will happen this year. I did hear that another company was trying to pick that company up and continue to manufacture their line. I sure hope so. I use net wrap on rounds and refuse to use poly on rounds. That crap seems to get lost in my fields. If I went to sisal on square bales, all of my cattle pasture fences would rot down! Lol


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## hillside hay (Feb 4, 2013)

With the meteoric rise in sisal prices a lot of us in this area have gone to tyrite blue onour small squares. It stands up to bale throwers , kicker racks, and is definitely better on the hands than that thin orange crap.


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## Vol (Jul 5, 2009)

hillside hay said:


> With the meteoric rise in sisal prices a lot of us in this area have gone to tyrite blue onour small squares. It stands up to bale throwers , kicker racks, and is definitely better on the hands than that thin orange crap.


Hillside, give us a little more information on Tyrite if you would.

Regards, Mike


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## sethd11 (Jan 1, 2012)

Mike, been using Tyrite for 2 years now. This year more than last year as I couldnt get more than last year. I had to buy it by the pallet out of Indiana. Made about 30000 bales with it of the 8000/170 blue poly. Pretty consistant stuff, got the information from haytalk because I couldn't find a tyrite website. Excellent on the hands also, I'm also convinced knot strength is stronger than its rated. 5 stars from me


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## PackMan2170 (Oct 6, 2014)

Vol said:


> I use poly on my little squares but I use sisal twine on the rounds.....I hate plastic on rounds.
> 
> Regards, Mike


Vol, why do you hate plastic on rounds? There is only like two round balers anywhere close to here, so I am ignorant. Just wanting to further my knowledge


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## Vol (Jul 5, 2009)

PackMan2170 said:


> Vol, why do you hate plastic on rounds? There is only like two round balers anywhere close to here, so I am ignorant. Just wanting to further my knowledge


Round bale twine has a almost magical way of going from the bale to scattered on the ground......getting into implements, machinery, and on or in livestock and wildlife. I see it all the time in this part of the country. Might be lazy people are a leading cause. And then it is in the environment a long, long time unless some steward makes the effort to remove.

Regards, Mike


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## Ray 54 (Aug 2, 2014)

I have never handled a bale with sisal so cannot comment on some of the issues about it.Cannot see it being very good for my needs.This part of the world was wire country,still a fair bit of wire used.Not many doing any rounds that are for sale.Coming from using wire you just have to pick it up or it will cause you a problem .So I always try to get all the plastic picked up and it is easier to see because of the bright colors.But am amazed at how much plastic will turn up a year or 2 after feeding cattle in the same place some times,still not that much but when you thought there should be none

.But I will disagree with it not going away as most of this plastic pulls apart into little pieces as you try picking it up,and this is in less than 6 years as that was the first of my baling with plastic. In the drought last year picked up 60 rounds done in net,It was a problem as I feed on the ground and have cattle pushing to get hay as I am trying to pick up the net and have it catch on there feet and drag it off and is hard to see on black dirt.

Drought not being that unusual here I do not clean the barn out of hay every year as to much is much better than running out of hay.Having bales fall apart because the sisal has degraded would not be a fun thing.Also with bales being 100 pounds and up is probably why wire was the standard before plastic was around.


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## PackMan2170 (Oct 6, 2014)

Vol said:


> Round bale twine has a almost magical way of going from the bale to scattered on the ground......getting into implements, machinery, and on or in livestock and wildlife. I see it all the time in this part of the country. Might be lazy people are a leading cause. And then it is in the environment a long, long time unless some steward makes the effort to remove.
> 
> Regards, Mike


Ah. So you don't have any problem with it FUNCTIONALLY, just have a problem with messy idiots not keeping track of their trash. There's a lot of that going around....


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## hillside hay (Feb 4, 2013)

I buy my tyrite from a neighbor who buys a large quantity of it. He sells to 4 or 5 of us locally. I'm not sure where he gets it from. I will ask him the particulars when I place my order.


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## Josh in WNY (Sep 7, 2010)

Ray 54 said:


> It was a problem as I feed on the ground and have cattle pushing to get hay as I am trying to pick up the net and have it catch on there feet and drag it off and is hard to see on black dirt.


We used to board young stock for a local dairy at our place and when I would feed the round bales out, I had the same problem. I just started pulling the net wrap off when I stopped to open the gate to the pasture and then I didn't have to worry about fighting the cows to get at it. Of coarse, you might have a larger setup that his wouldn't work very well... I was only going about 50 feet into the pasture before I dropped the bale off. If I had to carry it much farther, I think I would have left a few wads of hay along the way as the bale started to come apart.


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## OneManShow (Mar 17, 2009)

We make about 350 tons worth of small squares a year. We only use Bridon 210lb knot twine I believe it is 7200 ft per ball. I will not use anything but Bridon. PXL and a couple brands gave us problems. We bale with a Hesston 4590 and a NH 575.

Happy Thanksgiving.

Mike


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## Shetland Sheepdog (Mar 31, 2011)

OneManShow said:


> We make about 350 tons worth of small squares a year. We only use Bridon 210lb knot twine I believe it is 7200 ft per ball. I will not use anything but Bridon. PXL and a couple brands gave us problems. We bale with a Hesston 4590 and a NH 575.
> Happy Thanksgiving.
> 
> Mike


I'm with you on the Bridon 210, just not sure whether it will be available going forward! Don't seem to be able to find any up to date info on Bridon Cordage's status!


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## Bgriffin856 (Nov 13, 2013)

Only use sisal here. Don't have to worry about it. When we feed bales outside wether it be in pasture or on a cornfield we don't even bother removing twine. Outside stored bales don't have to fight frozen down twine or net. Use 9000 for small squares and 16000 for rounds its the green stuff. Get it at our local feed mill can't think of the brand but its produced by Frank Winnie and Sons just like the stuff from the NH dealer. One thing I noticed 9000 can get thinner than 16000 in spots. I would like to try 7200 on squares to maybe get the knots to hold better.

We used to buy rounds that had that thin crappy orange twine on it. No matter how careful you were you'd still get it in manure and everywhere else. PITA on frozen balage


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## FarmerCline (Oct 12, 2011)

When my baler was new I tried to use sisal twine because my customer supposedly wanted it. My baler would not tie the sisal right and the NH rep told me to try plastic and see if that helped.....worked perfect. I was told that if I wanted to use sisal I would have to get different billhooks......since plastic is cheaper I just continued using it and haven't had a complaint. I was using 9000 130 knot strength NH plastic but got a deal this year on some tytan 7200 in a single ball 170 knot strength......I like this twine much better, stronger and much thicker so it's easier on the hands to handle.


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## Vol (Jul 5, 2009)

Shetland Sheepdog said:


> I'm with you on the Bridon 210, just not sure whether it will be available going forward! Don't seem to be able to find any up to date info on Bridon Cordage's status!


Yes Dave it will be available. Bridon was purchased by another company shortly after bankruptcy filing of the parent company that owned Bridon. I will see if I can find that info....happened back in the summer and I just don't recall the particulars. Many folks are saying Bridon went bankrupt, which is totally false...it was the parent company that owned several companies.

Regards, Mike


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## SwingOak (May 19, 2014)

I prefer sisal because of the tails - I just hate having those little plastic tails laying all over the field.

I found last year that the Jaguar from Fleet Farm, NH brand, and Brazillian Gold are all made in the same factory. The outer bag is different, but the wrap on the balls are exactly the same. The guy at the NH dealer said it was all the same stuff. FF drives the price of sisal twine around here. The 9000 works well in my old, old baler and I didn't have a single problem with twine. But then again I'm not making very many bales, so my experience is based on a small sample of twine.

But man I hate those bright little pieces of plastic tail laying all over the field.


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## michaelmoten (Apr 30, 2014)

Not really an option for squares, but for my rounds net wrap is all I will be using from this point forward.

Long story short got a new baler last year, BR7060 Silage Special. I had never had netwrap before but had used netwrap bales and loved them. Started the season using Sisal for many of the reasons people stated earlier. I found that I had to use additional rows of twine on the bale for it to hold together during transportation compared to the poly, additionally the Sisal was inconsistent in strength and would at times break while putting the twine on the bale. With poly I was able to reduce the number of wraps and the bale held together as well as the Sisal. The netwrap was actually cheaper per bale than the Sisal, and when time is factored to wrap a bale the netwrap beats the Poly in my book. Decided at the end of the season last year everything now will be put in net.


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## broke buckeye (Jul 18, 2014)

I had a couple customers request poly on 5x6 rounds and I ended up keeping some for myself over the winter to see how bad it was. I agree with most on here, you gotta keep it picked up or you'll have a mess! But, everything considered it's really no worse than net wrap (as far as handling and disposing) and it's a lot cheaper. I liked it so well I wrapped all of my hay with it this year and so far no one has complained...still early yet! I'm using a BR780A and it didn't hiccup once with it.


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## Circle T Acres (Nov 17, 2014)

Wow you guys are awesome! Thanks for all the input. I'm currently looking into some different brands of plastic twine. I'm going to give it a whirl and see how I like it. Thanks again everyone!
P.S. Good luck to you in the 2015 season!!


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## Brian8 (Dec 8, 2014)

I love the poly because it does keep the bales tight and doesn't rot or come undone,nbuy the mice still love to eat the bottoms of the bales and then they fall apart. It is good twine to use for numerous things around the farm. I only use the old poly off the bales and not from the roll. I absolutely hate poly because it gets everywhere, doesn't degrade, finds itself in mower blades, cutters, and anything else that spins and is an absolute mess to get out. The crap just melts together on moving parts and makes it even worse. I hate it in the fields, I don't take it off of the bales when I put them out for the horses, but once the bale is eaten it seems to just disappear if you don't grab it right away. Horses push it deep into the muck and then it freezes in it, is so far down and hard to pull out and dang does it burn the crap out of your hands.

Sucks but it's what everyone uses here and it's not going away anytime soon, so we have to learn to work with it and keep it out of the ground and pastures. I have had a horse eat it and coliced because of it and when I went to get the impaction out he had that shit all over and it looked just like it came off the bale.


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## 8350HiTech (Jul 26, 2013)

Brian8 said:


> I love the poly because it does keep the bales tight and doesn't rot or come undone,nbuy the mice still love to eat the bottoms of the bales and then they fall apart. It is good twine to use for numerous things around the farm. I only use the old poly off the bales and not from the roll. I absolutely hate poly because it gets everywhere, doesn't degrade, finds itself in mower blades, cutters, and anything else that spins and is an absolute mess to get out. The crap just melts together on moving parts and makes it even worse. I hate it in the fields, I don't take it off of the bales when I put them out for the horses, but once the bale is eaten it seems to just disappear if you don't grab it right away. Horses push it deep into the muck and then it freezes in it, is so far down and hard to pull out and dang does it burn the crap out of your hands.
> 
> Sucks but it's what everyone uses here and it's not going away anytime soon, so we have to learn to work with it and keep it out of the ground and pastures. I have had a horse eat it and coliced because of it and when I went to get the impaction out he had that shit all over and it looked just like it came off the bale.


Why leave it on if you know it's causing you problems? Am I missing something?


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## Brian8 (Dec 8, 2014)

At least here we leave it on because it rains so much (2-3inches) every rain storm that if you take it off the bales that aren't under shelter the horses spread it out and then it all gets rained on quickly then you have a mess and whether or not the horses will eat wet hay. If you leave it on they eat the middle of the bale out first and then the edges as it gets smaller and smaller, so it is always tightly bound so the rain can't penetrate more than an inch into the hay pretty much regardless of how much rain you get.


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## NDVA HAYMAN (Nov 24, 2009)

Brian8 said:


> At least here we leave it on because it rains so much (2-3inches) every rain storm that if you take it off the bales that aren't under shelter the horses spread it out and then it all gets rained on quickly then you have a mess and whether or not the horses will eat wet hay. If you leave it on they eat the middle of the bale out first and then the edges as it gets smaller and smaller, so it is always tightly bound so the rain can't penetrate more than an inch into the hay pretty much regardless of how much rain you get.


So how about feed racks?



8350HiTech said:


> Why leave it on if you know it's causing you problems? Am I missing something?


Can I like this twice?


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## 8350HiTech (Jul 26, 2013)

NDVA HAYMAN said:


> So how about feed racks?
> 
> Can I like this twice?


One nasty vet bill, not even accounting for the aggravation, might be more than the cost of a hayhut or other covered feeder.


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## Brian8 (Dec 8, 2014)

Yea I have feed racks On my other farm but this one we don't. Never thought of one as we decided to keep all bales behind the fence so they can't screw with the twine, and no mower or tractor goes near the,. Most of my issues were past issues but a few are present. Thanks for the input


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## SwingOak (May 19, 2014)

Yeah well I just paid $250 to have a vet come out to the farm because of a horse we thought might be stating to colic that turned out to be an impacted small colon from too-dry hay and not drinking enough water (and yes there is an automatic field waterer in his pasture). I cringe at the thought of a blockage caused by plastic twine. That's another reason to like sisal - it's edible.


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## stack em up (Mar 7, 2013)

Have used sisal forever but switched to plastic on the small squares. Got it from swmnhay, it's freaking awesome to be able to not have to worry about twines too tight. Airbaler mod is also a Godsend though for that too.

Rounds is net only after fighting with twine for years. Tubgrinder makes short work of what I don't get cut off.


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## Farmerbrown2 (Sep 25, 2018)

I just got 20 bales of old stock 7200 sisal from my NH dealer for $30 bale . New stuff was quoted at $53 from NH and $54 from Agco So that should keep me going a little while.


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## Brian8 (Dec 8, 2014)

That's good. Sisal here is $55 and $40 for plastic. Sucks how big of a price difference it is as it makes it harder and harder to keep sisal on bales.


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## luke strawwalker (Jul 31, 2014)

We switched from small squares to all rounds back in about '81 or '82, one of the first ones around here to do so. Ran sisal until about ten years ago or so.

Sisal on rounds stored outside would hold up for about 3 weeks to a month-- long enough to get the hay stacked and settled in, but when you went to haul out in the winter, load on trailers, etc... Lordy mercy... what a mess... then when you hit the road and hit 45 mph, about half the first bale would blow away...

We finally switched to plastic when the cost of sisal started going up. I don't like the plastic mess either, but I cut it off and feed in particular areas, so its pretty easy to keep it "contained". It does get wrapped up in disks and mowers, but the quickest way to get rid of it is to get a propane torch, fire it up, and just burn a straight line across the shaft-- burns right through it and "cuts" it much quicker and easier than a knife-- then just peel it off.

A few years back, I tried some stuff sold at TSC called "Greenfield" plastic twine, which was made to break down after about a year of exposure to UV in sunlight. At first I was pretty impressed-- held up a lot longer than sisal for moving/handling bales, BUT, for hay that carries over past that winter, when you go to pick up a bale and move it, unlike sisal which used to pop on the BOTTOM (due to rot from being close to the moist ground, even on bales up on pallets or gravel) this stuff would pop on TOP (where it had been exposed to UV for a year). Then part of the bale would slough off the side while you were loading, usually, or the bottom mushy stuff fall off and take the rest of the twine with it. Not good. What was worse was, the stuff that was on the UNDERSIDE of the bale, out of the sunlight, was still just like new... so when it fell off the bale with little bits of mushy crud or whatever when you were hauling it out to feed, that stuff would then lay there just like regular plastic... and until/unless it got "turned up" laying in full sun, it wouldn't disintegrate... so you'd end up getting little bits of the stuff stuck to the disk or mower that HADN'T degraded in the sun because it was buried under crud, though the ends would be ratty and dry where the sun had burned them up with UV... It was higher than regular twine as well and after one year, we didn't bother with it anymore-- easier and better to just use the regular plastic, which is easier to keep picked up.

Sisal is crazy expensive now IMHO... things I don't like about the plastic but sisal is too expensive... I guess it all depends on what you're doing and what you prefer, and where your priorities lie, what you like and what you don't like...

Best of luck! OL JR


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## JeffMNY (Jan 5, 2014)

I used to have a 430 IH baler and with that I used sisal twine. That baler is gone and I have a CIH 8530 inline now. I have used plastic 7200 twine with that since I have had it. Works really well.

I also use plastic 20,000 in the round baler. Was getting that from the CIH dealer. Got some on sale from Tractor Supply and I wish I would have not bothered. It doesn't seem to stay on the bales as well as the other twine and I don't think it is as strong.


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## Brian8 (Dec 8, 2014)

I hate TSC with a passion. The one here s absolutely horrible as they never have crap you want or need in stock and then when you ask when it will be there or if you can order it, they say yea it will be here Friday. I now go the next day and they say oh we still don't have that or we didn't order it this time and it will be here next week and it seems to just be a never ending story with them. Horrible if you need assistance with loading or any assistance. My wife loaded three carts for older woman when we were there because they had been waiting 15 plus minutes to get help with livestock feed loaded on there cart. I'm suprised they still are in business where we are.

Sorry had to vent and yes there twine sucks.


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## Bgriffin856 (Nov 13, 2013)

SwingOak said:


> Yeah well I just paid $250 to have a vet come out to the farm because of a horse we thought might be stating to colic that turned out to be an impacted small colon from too-dry hay and not drinking enough water (and yes there is an automatic field waterer in his pasture). I cringe at the thought of a blockage caused by plastic twine. That's another reason to like sisal - it's edible.


Im not sure how well sisal would break down. Seems it would take awhile but its a better piece of mind than plastic


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## PaCustomBaler (Nov 29, 2010)

Welcome Circle T,

We run two balers (NH and JD's) and use Bridon 9600 #170 strength...very consistent twine and knots. Sisal works fine as well though, mostly a preference for you. But yes, some of the guys are right...you need to make sure you have the right billhook on your 336. There's a SISAL ONLY billhock, or a SISAL/POLY billhook.

Good luck.


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## luke strawwalker (Jul 31, 2014)

Oh yeah, sounds pretty typical for TSC. I used to get a LOT of stuff from them when we were row crop farming but that was 13 years ago, and they were starting to suck then. Our local store used to have a pretty good manager, but I guess they didn't want to pay a decent wage so they moved on. Used to have pretty good help too, but same thing... now it's just bored schoolkids on their first job or kids right out of school making time til they can find a better job. Nobody in there knows anything about anything it seems. I had a lady and her husband start quizzing me on water well stuff and I spent probably 30-45 minutes helping them one day get what they needed for their water well and she wanted me to ring it up... "Sorry, ma'am, but I don't work here..." "WHAT?? But you spent all this time helping us get what we needed..." "Yes, just trying to help... ask any of these kids in here and you get a dumb stare and a "I don't know" as they walk off..."

I just about gave up on TSC about the time we quit row cropping and went all cows. I'd go in for sprayer parts, have a fitting break off or something and need one to replace it, and they would NEVER have it... they'd have the wrong size, or one with male ends instead of female, or vice versa, or threaded ends but no hose barb ends, stuff like that... end up having to get 3-4 fittings to do the job of ONE so that everything could adapt back to what the original one was hooked up to. Got REAL old. Used to buy a lot of bolts from them in bulk, because they rust real bad on disks and hippers and other stuff working in the dirt around here, and you almost always have to replace them when you have to work on stuff... Then it got to where half the bolt bins were empty, and the other half all mish-mash of different sizes and lengths-- do about as good to just dump them all in a pile on the floor and let folks have at it when they need one! (PVC fittings at Home Depot/Lowes are just as bad!) When they DID get stuff in and refill the bins, within a day or two some folks from Mexico that come up and buy all the wrecked cars at auction and haul them back to Mexico to sell cheap for daily drivers would come in and just dump the whole bin into five gallon bucks and buy them out...

Nowdays, TSC is pretty much strictly for horse-n-pony crap and lawnmowers (not that I'd buy one there!) Tried to get a lawnmower belt there once and again, might as well just pile it up in the floor as badly organized and mish-mashed as it is...

If I need generic junk and feel like sifting through the whole aisle trying to find it (if they even have it) I'll go to TSC. Otherwise, I go elsewhere.

Like you, I'm surprised they're even still in business...

later! OL JR


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