COVERING SYSTEM FOR SILAGE PREPARATION

Abstract

A covering system for silage preparation. The covering system (1) includes at least one underlay film (2), which rests on the surface of a feedstuff (6). The underlay film (2) has an oxygen barrier layer (3). At least 50 wt % of the oxygen barrier layer (3) is formed of one or more material/s from the group including polyamide, co-polyamide, polyester, co-polyester, polyethylene, ethylene vinyl alcohol, polyvinyl alcohol, or mixtures thereof. The underlay film (2) also has an inner protective layer (4) facing the silage.

Claims

1. A covering system (1) for silage preparation comprising: at least one underlay film (2) adapted to closely hug onto a surface of a fodder material (6), the underlay film (2) includes at least one oxygen barrier layer (3), at least 50 wt. % whereof is formed of materials of the group consisting of polyamide, copolyamide, polyester, copolyester, polyethylene vinyl alcohol, polyvinyl alcohol, or mixtures thereof, and at least one protective layer (4) that is adapted to protect the at least one oxygen barrier layer (3) against substances of the silage.

2. The covering system as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least 50 wt. % of the protective layer (4) is formed of materials from the group consisting of polyethylene, polypropylene, copolymers of ethylene with other vinyl monomers and copolymers of propylene with other vinyl monomers, ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA) or ethylene butyl acrylate (EBA).

3. The covering system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the underlay film (2) has a thickness of at most 50 μm.

4. The covering system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the oxygen barrier layer (3) is thicker than the protective layer (4) at least by the factor 1.4.

5. The covering system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the underlay film (2) has an oxygen permeability according to DIN 53380-3 at 23° and 50% relative humidity of at most 500 cm.sup.3/m.sup.2.Math.d.Math.bar.

6. The covering system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the underlay film (2) has a water vapor permeability according to ISO 15106-3 at 23° C. and 85% relative humidity of at least 5 g/m.sup.2.Math.d.

7. The covering system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one oxygen barrier layer (3) of the underlay film (2) further includes at most 20 wt. % of further polymeric constituents.

8. The covering system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one oxygen barrier layer (3) of the underlay film (2) is formed form at least one of polyamide or copolyamide.

9. The covering system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the underlay film (2) in at least one of the at least one oxygen barrier layer or the at least one protective layer (3, 4) contains at least one of additives for increasing a stability against UV radiation, lubricants, mineral antiblock additives for reducing coefficients of friction of the film surface, or coloring additives.

10. The covering system as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a silo film (5) which with the underlay film (2) forms a unit for covering in one operation, wherein the unit is formed in that the underlay film (2) and the silo film (5) are at least one of rolled up or folded together for combined unrolling, unfolding, or both in one operation.

11. The covering system as claimed in claim 10, wherein the underlay film (2) is separable from the silo film (5) for closely hugging the surface of the fodder material heap (6).

12. The covering system as claimed in claim 10, wherein the silo film (5) has a lower water permeability than the underlay film (2).

13. The covering system as claimed in claim 10, wherein the silo film (5) has a water vapor permeability according to ISO 15106-3 of at most 3 g/m.sup.2.Math.d.

14. The covering system as claimed in claim 10, wherein at least 70 wt. % of the silo film (5) is formed of one or more materials from the group consisting of: low density polyethylene (LDPE), medium density polyethylene (MDPE), high density polyethylene (HDPE), copolymers of ethylene and α-olefins (LLDPE), copolymers of ethylene and vinyl acetate (EVA), copolymers of ethylene and acrylic acid, methacrylic acid or esters thereof, ethylene butyl acrylate (EBA), polypropylene (PP), or heterophasic (block co-PP) or homogeneous (random CE-PP) copolymers of propylene and ethylene.

15. The covering system as claimed in claim 10, wherein the underlay film (2) and the silo film (5) are produced together by coextrusion with low interlayer adhesion for separation of the underlay film (2) from the silo film (5).

16. The covering system as claimed in claim 10, wherein at least one of the silo film or the underlay film has in at least one layer a foam structure for the separation of the silo film (5) from the underlay film (2).

17. The covering system as claimed in claim 10, wherein the silo film (5) has a thickness of at least 50 μm.

18. The covering system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the protective layer (4) is separated from the oxygen barrier layer (3).

19. A roll with a covering system as claimed in claim 1.

20. A method for silage preparation comprising the following steps: applying a covering system (1) as claimed in claim 10 in which the underlay film (2) together with the silo film (5) is applied in one operation onto a fodder material heap (6), the underlay film (2) detaching from the silo film (5) through soaking of moisture from the heap (6) and the underlay film hugging a surface of the fodder material heap (6).

21. (canceled)

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0040] Below, the invention is illustrated on the basis of examples, without however being limited to the specifically described embodiments. Unless otherwise stated, the percentage data relate to the weight, in case of doubt to the total weight of the mixture. The invention also relates to all combinations of the expedient, favorable and preferred configurations insofar as these are not mutually exclusive. The statements “about” or “circa” in connection with a numerical value mean that at least values 10% higher or lower, or values 5% higher or lower, and in any case values 1% higher or lower are included.

[0041] Here the following figures show:

[0042] FIG. 1 a schematic cross-section diagram through the covering system according to the invention,

[0043] FIG. 2 the covering system directly after application onto the fodder stack, and

[0044] FIG. 3 the detachment of the underlay film from the silo film.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0045] FIG. 1 shows a covering system 1 for silage preparation. The covering system 1 comprises an underlay film 2. The underlay film has an oxygen barrier layer 3 and a protective layer 4.

[0046] In the practical example, the thickness of the underlay film 2 is ca. 30 μm, wherein the oxygen barrier layer 3 has a thickness of 20 μm and the protective layer 4 a thickness of 10 μm. The oxygen barrier layer 3 is thus thicker than the protective layer 4 by the factor of 2.

[0047] The thin underlay film 2 clings by adhesion onto the freshly silaged fodder. Through this close hugging the formation of cavities is prevented.

[0048] In addition, for the separation of the underlay film 2 from the silo film 5, there can also be a separation of the oxygen barrier layer 3 and protective layer 4 within the underlay film 2. This modification is not shown in the figures.

[0049] In the practical example, at least 80% of the oxygen barrier layer 3 consists of PA 6/66.

[0050] According to the invention, in the underlay film 2 the oxygen barrier layer 3 is combined with a protective layer 4. At least 50%, preferably at least 70%, in particular at least 90% of the protective layer 4 consists of materials from the group comprising polyethylene, polypropylene, ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA), ethylene butyl acrylate (EBA), copolymers of ethylene and other vinyl monomers and copolymers of propylene and other vinyl monomers. This polyolefin protective layer 4 protects the oxygen barrier layer 3 from the action due to lactic acid which arises during the fermentation of the silage. As a result an underlay film 2 is created which because of its low thickness of only 30 μm clings onto the surface of the fodder material and closely hugs it such that the surface of the material is sealed against penetration into the oxygen and at the same time the formation of liquid pockets is effectively prevented, so that no mold formation occurs. At the same time, due to the thin coating of the oxygen barrier layer 3, which preferably consists of a polyamide with a protective layer 4, which preferably consists of a polyolefin, high durability and long lifetime of the underlay film 2 is ensured. Thereby, an oxygen-impermeable silage covering for the duration of the whole fermentation process is achieved.

[0051] In the practical example according to the drawing in FIG. 1, the oxygen barrier layer 4 consists of a polyethylene.

[0052] The covering system 1 according to the invention shown in FIG. 1 as well as the underlay film 2 comprises a silo film 5. For the preparation of the covering system 1, the silo film 5 is produced by coextrusion with the underlay film 2. According to the invention, underlay film 2 and silo film 5 form a combined unit for covering the fodder material heap in one operation.

[0053] In the practical example, the silo film 5 has a thickness of 80 μm. Thus, together with the underlay film 2, the thickness of the covering system is ca. 110 μm.

[0054] At least 70 wt. % of the silo film consists of a polyethylene.

[0055] FIG. 2 shows the covering film 1 directly after it was applied onto a fodder material heap 6. The underlay film 2 adheres on the silo film 5.

[0056] FIG. 3 then shows a situation in which the underlay film 2 has detached from the silo film 5 and has closely hugged the surface of the fodder material heap 6.