Quick verdict by scenario
Net wrap and plastic twine do not produce different bales by magic; they hold a bale together differently. If you bale dry hay at a density your baler can actually reach, wrap it with net, and store it outdoors on the ground, net wrap usually earns its higher per-bale cost through faster baling and tighter, more weather-resistant bale surfaces. If you bale silage or baleage, feed with equipment that must cut and spread twine, sell bales to buyers who want to strip and feed without net residue, or run a baler whose density control you never calibrate, twine remains a perfectly defensible choice.
The key point that most comparison pages miss: net wrap and twine differ in how reliably the target bale density is achieved and held, not in what density is theoretically possible. Oklahoma State University's round bale storage fact sheet (BAE-1716) notes that when net-wrapped and plastic-twine bales have the same outer-layer density, their storage losses are comparable. That single caveat reframes the whole decision.
Comparison basis: what fair means here
To compare like with like, hold these variables constant before reading any vendor claim:
- Same crop and moisture. Dry hay (typically baled safely below roughly 20% moisture depending on bale size and climate) and wilted silage are separate use cases.
- Same baler and density setting. Compare bales from one machine at one density target, not a loose twine bale against a hard-core net bale.
- Same storage. Outside on the ground, on a pad, or under cover changes the result far more than the binding material.
- Same measurement. Bale weight divided by measured bale volume gives density; eyeballing "hardness" does not.
Only after those are fixed does the binding material become the variable worth judging.
Side-by-side comparison
| Criterion | Net wrap | Plastic twine |
|---|---|---|
| Bale-shape retention at target density | Broad surface contact spreads load, so the outer layer stays tight with fewer wraps | Load carried on discrete bands; surface between bands can relax and bulge |
| Effect on density achievement | Enables faster baling, which tempts operators to raise ground speed and can soften cores if density control is ignored | Slower tying cycle; less incentive to over-speed, but no density advantage either |
| Weather resistance of the outer surface | Wider coverage reduces rain penetration into the bale surface | Gaps between bands allow surface wetting and sagging when stacked |
| Baling throughput | Typically faster per bale | Slower per bale |
| Per-bale material cost | Higher | Lower |
| Removal at feeding | Requires cutting and removing a sheet; residue risk if missed | Cut and pull; familiar, low-residue handling |
| Silage or baleage use | Preferred as a base layer before plastic film | Poor choice where an airtight film wrap is needed |
| Recycling and disposal | Bulkier, but collected in large sheets | Smaller volume, easily scattered in wind |
Treat the throughput and cost rows as directional: they scale with bale size, local material pricing and how many bales per hour the baler can physically make.
Option A: net wrap
Net wrap is a mesh sheet applied over the bale's circumference. Because the mesh contacts the bale across nearly its full width, it constrains the outer layer as a unit rather than at discrete points. Practical consequences follow from that geometry:
- Density is easier to keep. A bale that leaves the chamber at your target density tends to stay there through transport and stacking, because the wrap resists the outer layer swelling.
- Rain shedding is better. When bales sit outside, fewer exposed gaps mean less water reaching the hay surface, which is where most storage loss starts.
- Baling is quicker, which shortens the weather window risk during harvest — but only if the operator does not convert the saved time into faster ground speed, which is the classic way to end up with lighter, softer bales.
Where net wrap is the better fit: outdoor-stored dry hay, high-value forage, large bales moved several times, and any operation that measures density rather than assuming it.
Option B: plastic twine
Twine works by tension in bands around the bale. It is cheap, universally available, and every baler ties it. Its limitation is geometric: between bands, nothing holds the outer layer.
- Density must come from the chamber. Because twine cannot compensate for a soft outer layer, the baler's density setting and the operator's ground speed do all the work.
- Handling is familiar. Cutting and pulling twine is second nature on most farms, and feeding equipment handles twine bales predictably.
- Cost per bale is lower, and for small bales fed quickly or stored under cover, the density penalty is often small enough that the saving holds.
Where twine is the better fit: bales stored under cover or fed within weeks, buyers who specify twine, operations where net residue in feed is a genuine concern, and farms where baler density is already dialled in and speed is not the bottleneck.
Trade-offs and exceptions
Density is a baler setting, not a wrap property
The most common comparison error is attributing density differences to the binding. If you bale the same windrow at the same density setting with each material, the density at the chamber exit is essentially the same. The difference appears later — in how much the outer layer relaxes, and therefore in how much the bale's effective density and shape survive storage. That is why the OSU caveat about equal outer-layer density matters: it is a reminder to compare properly, not a claim that the materials are interchangeable.
Moisture changes the answer
For dry hay, net wrap's tighter surface is an advantage outdoors. For baleage, the binding is only a base layer under airtight film; twine gives no benefit and adds handling time, so net is the practical default. For high-moisture hay that should not have been baled at all, neither material fixes the problem — spontaneous heating is a moisture issue.
Baler compatibility and settings
Not every baler accepts both materials, and switching requires different feed paths, tension settings and monitor calibration. Before comparing cost per bale, confirm the machine can apply the material at the tension the manufacturer specifies; a mis-tensioned net is worse than correctly tied twine.
Removal and feed hygiene
Net residue in feed is a real risk when bales are processed fast. If your feeding routine cannot guarantee removal, twine's simple cut-and-pull may be worth more than net's storage advantages. Conversely, twine fragments scattered in wind are their own litter problem.
How to decide next
- Fix the storage scenario first. Outdoor, uncovered storage is where binding choice matters most; under cover, the density difference mostly disappears.
- Test at equal density. Bale a few loads of each at the same density setting, weigh them, and measure. Then store side by side for a season and compare loss.
- Do the cost per bale, not per roll. Divide roll price by bales per roll for each material and add the value of any feed lost or time saved.
- Check handling downstream. Feeding equipment, buyer requirements and labour for removal often decide the question before cost does.
Related comparisons on this site cover how binding choices interact with feeding and dispensing behaviour, and how wrap layers per bale affect protection — read those before locking in a purchasing decision for a whole season.
Sources
- Virginia Cooperative Extension, Management Tips for Round Bale Hay Harvesting, Moving, and Storage (442-454 / BSE-332P), Virginia Tech, first published April 2021, last reviewed November 2025.
- Oklahoma State University Extension, Round Bale Hay Storage fact sheet BAE-1716 (as summarised in extension guidance: net-wrapped and plastic-twine bales with equal outer-layer density show comparable storage losses).
- Hay and Forage Magazine, "The nitty-gritty of net wrap and baler twine" — background on material construction and load-bearing behaviour.
Figures quoted are directional and depend on bale size, crop, moisture and local material pricing; verify with your baler manufacturer's settings and current supplier pricing before committing.