Starting something new makes the footsteps heavy and the calculations complicated. Every cost has to be worked out in detail, and for anyone moving into forage production that includes the bale wrapping cost. For some agricultural and livestock entrepreneurs, costing out silage wrapping is unfamiliar territory, and the business is often something they fell into rather than planned.
Many start by buying bales as cattle feed, because wrapped silage is easier for cows to digest. Sealing the bale excludes oxygen, which is what allows lactic acid bacteria to ferment the plant sugars into lactic acid. That acidity preserves the forage and makes the nutrition available to the animal. From buying bales, some producers move to making their own, using a single wrapper or an in-line machine with a rotary table, and gradually the sideline becomes a business.
This guide breaks down what wrapping actually costs, using figures you can check rather than round numbers.
Film Is the Starting Point, Not the Whole Cost
Plastic film is the first line in any wrapping budget and the one most people think of. Quality film from a reliable supplier improves the condition of the bales you sell, so it is not a place to economise carelessly.
Published extension figures give a useful benchmark. University of Kentucky forage guidance puts a roll of plastic at roughly $80, covering 25 to 30 bales, which works out to approximately $3 to $4 per bale. Producer reports in practice tend to run a little higher, commonly $4 to $6 per bale for film at a proper 6 to 8 layers, because coverage per roll varies with bale size and how many layers are applied. Farmers reporting 12 to 18 bales per roll are getting fewer bales than the benchmark because they are applying heavier coverage.
A note on those figures: film prices move with the cost of raw polyethylene, so treat any published number as a benchmark rather than a quote. As of July 2026, factory FOB pricing from the Jummos and Silopak plant in Qingdao runs approximately US $1.85 to $2.30 per kilogram for LLDPE silage stretch film, with a minimum order of 1,000 kg.
End caps are the cost people forget. On in-line systems they seal the ends of each row, and custom operators commonly charge in the region of $20 per end cap with an additional charge per row.
Working Out Cost Per Hour Correctly
This is where costings often go wrong, so it is worth doing the arithmetic in the open.
| Single Bale Wrapper | In-line Wrapper | |
|---|---|---|
| Output | Around one bale per minute, so 50 to 60 per hour | 80 to 120 bales per hour |
| Film cost per bale | $4 to $5 | $3 to $4, since in-line systems use less film per bale |
| Film cost per hour | Roughly $200 to $300 | Roughly $240 to $480 |
Notice that the in-line machine costs more per hour in film simply because it wraps more bales in that hour. Per bale it is cheaper, which is the figure that actually matters. In-line wrappers generally use less plastic and less labour per bale than individual wrappers, which is why they suit higher volumes despite the higher purchase price.
If you see hourly wrapping figures quoted in the thousands, check the arithmetic. Film cost per hour is simply bales per hour multiplied by film cost per bale, and for the machine sizes above that lands in the hundreds, not the thousands.
The Costs That Get Left Out
Film is the visible cost. It is rarely the largest one, and a budget built on film alone will mislead you badly.
- The forage itself. Growing, fertilising, cutting, and raking the crop is usually the single biggest input in a finished bale, and it is the line most often missing from wrapping costings.
- Baling. The baler, its net wrap or twine, fuel, and the operator’s time, all before the wrapper touches the bale.
- Machine depreciation. A wrapper is a capital item, and spreading its cost across the bales it produces adds a real amount per bale. Producers using a five-year costing method have reported this adding several dollars per bale depending on annual volume.
- Labour and fuel. For wrapping itself and for moving bales to storage afterwards.
- Handling and storage losses. Punctured film means spoiled bales, and spoilage is a cost even though no invoice arrives for it.
For a whole-system view, Kentucky extension guidance puts the total cost of baleage at roughly $10 to $15 per ton of dry matter, noting that this compares favourably with conventional silage and competes well with hay once the losses involved in making and storing hay are counted. That per-tonne figure is a more honest basis for comparison than cost per bale, because bales vary so much in weight.
“The question I am asked is almost always about the price of film, and it is rarely the number that decides whether the operation works. What decides it is bales per hour and how many bales come out of each roll. A machine that wraps faster with fewer layers wasted will beat a cheaper roll of film over a season, every time. I always suggest customers cost it per tonne of dry matter rather than per bale, because that is the only way to compare honestly against hay or a clamp.”
Sue Su, Marketing Director, Jummos
Custom Wrapping as a Benchmark
If you are deciding whether to buy a machine or hire the job out, custom rates give you a useful reference point. Producers commonly report paying somewhere in the region of $7 to $10 per bale for custom wrapping that includes the film, the machine, and the operator’s time, with rates varying considerably by region and by how many layers are applied.
That comparison also reveals something worth watching. Some cheap custom work applies far fewer layers than the job requires, and a bale wrapped in two layers when it needed six will spoil regardless of what you paid. When comparing quotes, always ask how many layers are included, because the price only means something alongside that number.
Setting a Selling Price
Pricing a finished bale means covering every cost above, not just the film. That includes the forage, baling, wrapping, machinery depreciation, electricity or fuel, distribution, and wages, down to the small running costs that accumulate across a season.
A markup of two to two and a half times total production cost is a common target, but it only works if you calculated the total honestly. A price set against film cost alone will look profitable on paper and lose money in practice, because the forage in the bale usually cost more than the plastic around it.
Be realistic about timing as well. Profit is rarely visible in the first year, since the machinery purchase sits against a small number of bales. As volume grows and repeat customers build, the fixed costs spread across more bales and the margin starts to appear.
Reducing Cost per Bale
The practical levers are straightforward. Buy film in volume where storage allows, since factory pricing improves with quantity. Set the wrapper correctly so you achieve the layer count you intend without waste, since both under-wrapping and over-wrapping cost money. Match the machine to your volume, because an in-line wrapper is cheaper per bale but only if you have the bales to justify it. Handle wrapped bales with proper equipment to avoid punctures. And buy film and machine from the same source where you can, so the two are matched.
Jummos manufactures baler wrappers across a range of capacities, and our sister brand Silopak produces the silage film that goes with them. If you want current pricing for your volume and specification, our guide to silage film for sale covers factory rates, or contact us directly with your bale size and annual volume.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does it cost to wrap a bale?
Film alone generally runs about $3 to $6 per bale, depending on bale size and how many layers are applied. Extension guidance puts a roll of plastic at roughly $80 covering 25 to 30 bales, giving $3 to $4 per bale, while producers applying heavier coverage of 6 to 8 layers often see $4 to $6. Hiring custom wrapping that includes film, machine, and labour typically costs around $7 to $10 per bale. Prices vary by region and move with polyethylene costs, so treat these as benchmarks rather than quotes.
Is an in-line wrapper cheaper than a single bale wrapper?
Per bale, yes. In-line wrappers generally use less plastic and less labour per bale, and they wrap considerably faster at 80 to 120 bales per hour against 50 to 60 for a single machine. Their hourly film spend is higher simply because they produce more bales in that hour. The trade-off is a higher purchase price and less flexibility in storage layout, so they suit operations with the volume to justify them.
What is the total cost of baleage per tonne?
Kentucky extension guidance places the total cost of baleage at roughly $10 to $15 per ton of dry matter, which includes plastic, wrapper cost, and labour. That figure compares favourably with conventional silage methods and is competitive with hay once you account for the losses involved in making and storing hay in the field. Costing per tonne of dry matter is more useful than per bale, since bale weights vary widely with moisture and size.
Reviewed by Sue Su, Marketing Director of Jummos, on September 15, 2026. Cost figures were checked against forage extension guidance and current factory pricing. Film prices move with raw material costs, so request a current quote before budgeting.