Please view all our Latest News in the green column to the left. Click on 'Read More' under each story for the expanded version.
Hay versus baled silage
'Make hay while the sun shines'. We've all heard the saying but for many farmers and agricultural contractors this statement has become just as applicable when times are hard. Compared with baled silage, relying on hay as a winter feed can seem like a lower cost option. But is it actually a cheaper alternative? Or is it more a case of false economy?
Read moreThe seven sins of silage
When it comes to producing good quality, nutritious silage small things can make a big difference. This is especially true of mistakes. A cut corner here or a slight oversight there can ultimately result in silage that’s unusable due to insufficient dry matter content or worse, that’s dangerous to herd health because of mould growth and the likely presence of mycotoxins or Listeria.
Read moreSilage around the world
They say it’s a small world. Well with advances in technology, particularly that relating to communication and travel, it’s only getting smaller. Today, it’s never been easier for the world’s farmers to share ideas, expertise and farming practices. So what lessons can we learn from our international counterparts when it comes to making good quality, nutritious silage?
Read moreVisqueen Clingseal - Top award for a top sheet
_sm.jpg)
bpi.agri, manufacturer of high quality silage films, was announced as the winner of the 2010 Marketing Excellence Award for Manufacturing at a glittering Awards Ceremony in the Grosvenor House Hotel, London on Tuesday night. The Award was made for the business’ campaign to promote the benefits of Visqueen Clingseal, a flexible, low permeability agricultural film which can significantly reduce top and shoulder waste in the silage clamp.
Read morebpi shows support for RNLI
British Polythene Industries (BPI) plc has shown its support for the important work of the RNLI. The business - which ranks not only as Europe’s largest manufacturer of polythene films bags and sacks but also as Europe’s largest waste polythene recycler - has donated a Plaswood bench to the charity’s new Exmouth lifeboat station.
Read morebpi.agri invests in new technology - and new possibilities
bpi.agri is set to augment its track record of providing high quality wide width films for agricultural applications with the imminent unveiling of a new production line in Ardeer, Ayrshire. The state-of-the-art wide width line, installed as part of a £7 million investment project at the site, is believed to be one of the widest and most advanced anywhere in the world.
Read moreBPI honoured with Scottish Green Award
Greenock based British Polythene Industries, Europe’s largest recycler of polythene film, was announced last night (30 Sept) as the winner of the Best Green Large Company category at the 2010 Scottish Green Awards ceremony.
Read morebpi.agri backs Federation of Welsh Grassland Societies
Demonstrating the strength of its continued commitment to British agriculture, leading manufacturer of Visqueen Poliwrap balewrap and Visqueen silage sheeting bpi.agri has become a commercial sponsor of the Federation of Welsh Grassland Societies.
Read moreMakers of maize silage urged to try new product
Farmers and agricultural contractors currently producing maize silage could be set for excellent results if they employ a new product.
Read morePrize draw success for Dumfries agricultural contractor
An agricultural contractor from Dumfries is celebrating his success after being announced as the winner of a pallet of premium quality silage balewrap.
Read moreNew Silage Advisory Centre to Support Farmers’ Decision-Making
New balewrapping website launched
Leading manufacturer of silage balewrap and silage sheeting, bpi.agri has launched a new website dedicated to its Visqueen Poliwrap® product. The site – www.visqueenpoliwrap.com – makes it easier than ever to explore the many benefits to this highly proven balewrapping film, which has become the preferred choice for thousands of farmers and agricultural contractors worldwide.
Read morebpi.agri spends £10 million on factory
bpi.agri, the British-based, world leading manufacturer of silage balewrap and clamp sheets, has spent £10 million enhancing its Leominster factory. The move will significantly increase the manufacturer’s production capacity for products like Silotite®, Visqueen Poliwrap® and Polybale® . It will also enable the business to produce a whole new range of next generation agricultural films.
Read moreAdvice that's not to be wasted
The UK’s leading manufacturer of agricultural films, bpi.agri, is stepping up its on-going activities to help farmers operate as efficiently and cost-effectively as possible when it comes to agricultural films. The company, which produces such well known bale wraps as Silotite, Visqueen Poliwrap and Polybale, has recently issued a number of top tips which provide expert advice on how to prepare your waste polythene for recycling - quickly, easily and cost effectively.
Read moreProtecting your baled silage from Wireworms
As has been well documented previously the correct storage of silage bales is vital to preserve and retain the quality and nutritional value of the feed inside. Handling and storing bales properly avoids damage caused by birds and rodents or even grass stubble. However there is another potential hazard to baled silage, which has until now been overlooked, and that is the damage which can be caused by wireworms.
Read moreProtecting your baled silage from Wireworms
As has been well documented previously the correct storage of silage bales is vital to preserve and retain the quality and nutritional value of the feed inside. Handling and storing bales properly avoids damage caused by birds and rodents or even grass stubble. However there is another potential hazard to baled silage, which has until now been overlooked, and that is the damage which can be caused by wireworms.
Wireworms are the larvae of click beetles. They are usually found in permanent pasture and damage caused by them has traditionally been associated with crops following long-term grassland. In recent years wireworm damage has become an increasing problem for potato growers in the UK. As soil dwellers, they bite through roots and stems at ground level and any baled silage stored on the ground could be at risk of attack.
Visible wireworm damage takes the form of 4mm diameter holes created by the worms as they enter the bale. If Farmers wish to store bales on grassland it is possible, as long as the bales are kept at least 10 metres away from any water, including field drains and ditches into which silage effluent could enter. However, storing bales on grassland could lead to the plastic film wrap which is in direct contact with the soil being damaged by burrowing wireworms.
In 2007 Dow Europe and bpi.agri, manufacturers of Silotite, both independently commissioned baled silage trials at IGER (Institute of Grassland & Environmental Research). The test bales from both of these trials were stored on grass at the IGER farm. Upon inspection during the autumn, Rhun Fychan, IGER Silage Researcher, found the bales to be damaged when they were opened. Up to 10% of the silage surface was found to be mouldy and at first it was thought that the holes in the silage film were due to mechanical damage by the rollers of the bale handler. However, a closer inspection identified that the holes had been caused by wireworms.
Norbert Schulze, Silage Marketing Manager at Dow Europe pointed out that although no case of damage to baled silage stacks by wireworms had been previously reported, and that this was perhaps a rare occurrence, farmers need to be aware of the possibility of this type of damage when choosing their silage storage area
Following the discovery the damage was assessed by Peter Dennis, an ecologist at Aberystwyth University. Mr Dennis is in no doubt that the damage was caused by wireworms as it is similar to damage observed previously on sugar beet.
Louise Yates, Marketing Manager at bpi.agri commented: “We are disappointed that the trial bales have been affected by wireworm attack which has been a growing problem in other areas of UK agriculture. However it is important to let others know of our experience so that they are aware of this potential hazard.”
IGER recommend that farmers check their bale stacks as they feed this winter assessing the silage stretch film for wireworm damage in the areas where it occurs i.e. around the periphery of where the bale touches the ground. Wireworm damage will not be an issue on hard standing areas so if any such problems are identified it is worth considering moving the bales to this type of storage area where possible.
