Visqueen Clingseal – cutting your losses

Leading manufacturer of balewrap and silage sheeting, bpi.agri has extended its popular range of globally respected products. Visqueen Clingseal is a new high-performance clamp sheet which appreciably reduces costly losses at the clampface from top and shoulder spoilage. Designed for use underneath a conventional, high quality silage sheet such as Visqueen Agri-S, Visqueen Clingseal is thinner and subsequently more flexible than traditional silage sheeting. This allows it to cling more closely to the contours of the clamp’s surface and to tuck in more at the sides. The net result is a closer fitting air barrier with fewer air pockets that can lead to aerobic spoilage. In addition, the improved air seal achievable with Visqueen Clingseal also facilitates a faster, more efficient fermentation process resulting in silage with greater nutritional value. Recent studies have demonstrated that the extra oxygen barrier created using such additional clamp sheets had a major impact in terms of reducing top and shoulder losses as well as wastage from surface mould. Hefin Richards from Profeed Nutrition Consultancy said: “Under commercial silage making conditions, IBERS cites that total dry matter losses of 25% can be expected from field to feedout, whilst in-silo losses of 5 to 18% are typical. Exclusion of oxygen from the clamp is a key factor in minimising these losses.” “With this in mind, products like Visqueen Clingseal, which can minimise losses during the harvesting and clamping process, are worth employing. This is especially true when ensiling moist feeds like brewers’ grains and crimped maize which are not only higher value crops, but also more susceptible to wastage.” He continues: “1m3 of maize silage equates to approx 800kg of material. So, if maize is valued at £25/tonne, then 1m3 is worth £20 and a 10cm deep layer of the said 1m3 is worth £2. So, apart from it taking longer to work through the clamp, farmers can end up losing a lot of their valuable forage.” Those involved in testing Visqueen Clingseal as part of its final, on-farm field trials have also given the new product glowing reports. Will Jones from Higher Living Dairy in Devon, said: “We normally use salt to try and control waste on our maize clamp but Visqueen Clingseal proved to be more cost effective, easier to apply and resulted in no wastage whatsoever. “This was despite the fact it was used on a clamp with very high sides which made it impossible to roll completely. In comparison, the neighbouring clamp, which was treated with salt and sheets in the traditional way, did see some wastage on both its top and sides. He adds: “I will definitely be using this new product on all my clamps next season”. Barry Buckley, Sales Director at bpi.agri added: “bpi.agri is delighted that Visqueen Clingseal has been so well received by those involved in its field testing. We hope that this excellent product which offers benefits in terms of reduced spoilage, more efficient fermentation and better quality silage will follow in the footsteps of some of our other well known brands and become a true global leader.” For more information about bpi.agri and its range of high performance silage balewrap and silage sheet, visit www.bpiagri.com - Ends - IMAGES: Visqueen Clingseal1.jpg Clingseal clamp face.jpg Clingseal clamp overview.jpg

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