Research

Background

There’s a lot of plastic used in agriculture. Grain bags, twine, silage plastic, bale wrap, and more. It’s estimated that between 7,000 and 12,000 metric tons of ag plastics are generated on Alberta farms every year. And though there are initiatives to help us prevent these products from ending up in a landfill, some items aren’t recyclable at this point in time.

Additionally, plastic twine and netwrap are a serious animal health concern. Ingestion of these materials will cause compaction in the rumen, ultimately leading to death unless very expensive exploratory surgery is performed. Even if feed is processed through a bale processor, if the netwrap/twine is left on the bales, the plastic bits eaten by cattle can sometimes build up over time and cause compaction.

Objectives

• Evaluate a biodegradable net wrap product under simulated rumen conditions.
• Evaluate net wrap breakdown in the rumen in cannulated animals.
• Investigate any potential performance impacts in a feeding trial using net wrapped bales that are processed through a bale processor without net wrap removal.

Implications of the Research

Biodegradable netwrap has several advantages over its plastic counterparts, assuming it doesn’t break down before you’re ready to use the bales. This net wrap product has previously undergone equipment compatibility testing along with environmental and structural testing over time and in different locations. This project is a next step to determine whether the netwrap is safe for cattle, whether ingestion is accidental or intentional.