PolyExcel Booth: 3928-3929, Building C Silage covering can take up a major part of a dairy farmer’s forage preservation time. PolyExcel has introduced a product to help save some of that time and possibly more ensiled feed through their new Polydress 2-in-1 O2 Barrier. The product was released last spring and has been named a top product at this year’s World Ag Expo.
Commonly, covering a silage pit means applying two separate layers of plastic, an oxygen-barrier sheet and a standard plastic sheet. Polydress is designed to require only a single sheet of plastic to perform both functions.
Initially developed three years ago in Europe, the product has received positive feedback from test groups throughout the U.S. The plastic is composed of two layers, which separate in response to moisture from forages in the pit, allowing each piece to perform its job – protection and oxygen reduction.
Fermentation within the silage also causes the thinner plastic to suction into the air pockets on the surface of the feed, further reducing oxygen and the molds that are often found on the top layers of a silage pit. This result is achieved with a single layer of plastic, cutting application time in half.
“You don’t talk to a dairyman who isn’t interested in saving time,” says Eddie Toms, regional sales and product development for PolyExcel. “Everyone is really happy that they only have to go over the pit once, instead of twice. It’s a real time saver, and they’ve seen the limited spoilage that they are looking for.”
The product is currently available nationwide and will be offered in a standard 4 mil thickness. The company will also offer a 5 mil and 6 mil option going forward. PD
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Melissa Miller
- Staff Writer
- Progressive Dairyman
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