increase font size
The Goweil bale slicer does the job for you.
Anyone who's fed round bales to cattle on a cold, wet winter morning would revel in a device that removes the need to manually remove smelly bale wrap plastic and netting.
No surprise to see manufacturers developing grabs to do this, usually with a slicer to split the bale in two.
The Goweil RBS bale slicer from Webbline handles bales 0.9-1.6m in diameter.
It comprises a lower frame with five tines (42mm dia. x 1000mm long) which lift the bale. An upper frame has the bale slicing attachment, powered by twin HD double acting rams, which splits the bale in half, allowing easier feeding by stock, and better incorporation and lower power consumption in case the bales are used in feed trailers or mixer wagons.
Beneath the slicing frame, a secondary system uses a bank of eight hooks which sink into the bale across the full width, to firmly hold the film and net wrap in place while the bale is handled.
The debris can then be placed on a rubbish pile without the operator having to leave the tractor seat. This improves operator safety by removing the need for climbing up and down from the tractor as with a manual removal system – tricky in bad weather.
Feedback from the McGuire family, who milk 600 cows on 250ha near Ashburton, is that "the Goweil RBS saves us around 45 minutes every day when feeding out, and sees us loading our feedout wagon with six bales in around 15 minutes, all without leaving the tractor seat".
They also mention that the design of the film and net capture system means the unit always works, even handling badly misshapen bales.
Agricultural plastic recycler Plasback has announced that the nation-wide farm machinery and silage wrap distributor Webbline has joined its on-farm recycling scheme, a move that will see around 85% of the silage film imported to New Zealand being covered by the scheme.
Having supplied product from Austrian grassland specialist Goweil since 2002, Webbline now introduces the new G1 fixed chamber baler.
Effluent, properly used, can wipe thousands off the annual fertiliser bill, observes the distributors of Slurryquip – Webbline.
A SlurryQuip umbilical effluent system on a South Canterbury farm has the thumbs-up from the owner, says the supplier, Webbline.
With the increase of standoff pads and wintering barns, the amount of slurry being stored for distribution is soaring.
A brilliant result and great news for growers and regional economies. That's how horticulture sector leaders are describing the news that sector exports for the year ended June 30 will reach $8.4 billion - an increase of 19% on last year and is forecast to hit close to $10 billion in 2029.
Funding is proving crucial for predator control despite a broken model reliant on the goodwill of volunteers.
A major milestone on New Zealand's unique journey to eradicate Mycoplasma bovis could come before the end of this year.
We're working through it, and we'll get to it.
The debate around New Zealand's future in the Paris Agreement is heating up.
A technical lab manager for Apata, Phoebe Scherer, has won the Bay of Plenty 2025 Young Grower regional title.
OPINION: It's official, Fieldays 2025 clocked 110,000 visitors over the four days.
OPINION: The Federated Farmers rural advocacy hub at Fieldays has been touted as a great success.
