Choosing the Right Net Wrap Width & Length for Your Baler

Net wrap comes in four standard widths: 48 inches, 51 inches, 64 inches, and 67 inches. Getting the width wrong means the wrap won't seat properly in your baler's wrap cradle, and getting the length wrong means running out mid-season or paying for footage you'll never use. Here's how to match both to your machine.

Match Width to Your Baler's Chamber Size

Width comes down to whether your baler is a 4-foot or 5-foot chamber machine.

48" and 51" net wrap fit 4-foot round balers, the kind that produce standard 4x5 or 4x6 bales. The 51" option adds a bit of overhang on each side of the bale face, which some producers prefer for extra edge coverage.

64" and 67" net wrap fit 5-foot round balers, producing 5x5 or 5x6 bales. As with the narrower pair, the 67" gives extra overhang versus the straight 64" width.

Check your baler's operator manual or the sticker inside the wrap compartment if you're not sure which chamber size you have. Using the wrong width isn't just inconvenient. Net wrap that's too narrow leaves bale edges exposed to weather, and wrap that's too wide won't feed correctly through the machine.

Roll Length Varies by Width, and by Brand

Here's where a lot of first-time buyers get tripped up: wider rolls aren't just wound with more material at the same length. A roll's outside diameter has to fit inside your baler's wrap cradle, so manufacturers wind the wider 64" and 67" material onto shorter rolls to keep the same outside diameter as the narrower 48" and 51" rolls. That's why you'll commonly see 48" and 51" rolls at 9,840 feet, while 64" and 67" rolls run shorter, often somewhere in the 7,000 to 9,000-foot range depending on the manufacturer.

That last point matters: roll length for the same width isn't standardized across every brand. Always check the roll label or product listing rather than assuming one brand's 64" roll matches another's foot for foot.

What We Stock

West Country Dairy Supply carries net wrap in the sizes Alberta hay producers actually need:

• 48" x 9,840' (16/skid)
• 51" x 9,840' (16/skid)
• 64" x 8,000' (16/skid)
• 64" x 9,000' (16/skid)
• 67" x 8,000' (16/skid)
• 67" x 9,000' (16/skid)

If you're switching brands or trying a different net wrap for the first time, cross-check the roll length against what you're used to running. A 64" roll from one supplier at 8,000 feet and another at 9,000 feet will cover a different number of bales, even though the width is identical.

Estimating How Many Rolls You'll Need

Once you know your width, the next question is how many rolls to buy for the season. The rough math:

1. Estimate your total bale count for the season (acres times yield per acre, divided by average bale weight, or just use last year's number).
2. Divide your roll's total footage by the length of net wrap used per bale. That depends on your bale's circumference (roughly 3.14 times the bale diameter) multiplied by how many wraps you run per bale, typically 2.5 to 3 for outdoor storage.
3. Add a 10 to 15 percent buffer for a damaged roll or an unexpectedly long season.

As a rough reference point, a 9,840-foot roll at 3 wraps per bale covers somewhere in the range of 200 to 250 standard 4x5 bales, though your exact number will shift with your specific bale size and wrap count.

FAQ

What net wrap width do I need for a 4x5 bale?

A standard 4-foot chamber baler producing 4x5 bales takes 48" or 51" net wrap. Check your operator's manual to confirm your machine's exact chamber width before ordering.

Why is 64" net wrap sold on a shorter roll than 48"?

The wider material has to fit the same outside roll diameter to seat in your baler's wrap cradle, so manufacturers wind it onto a shorter roll. This keeps every width dropping into the same cradle without modification.

Can I use 67" net wrap on a machine built for 64"?

The extra 3 inches of width on 67" material is designed as overhang for edge coverage on the same 5-foot chamber balers that run 64". Check your baler's specifications if you're unsure whether the extra width will feed correctly through your specific model.

How many wraps per bale should I use?

Most producers run 2.5 to 3 wraps per bale for bales going into longer-term outdoor storage. Fewer wraps can work for silage bales wrapped in plastic film shortly after baling, but check your baler manufacturer's recommendation for your specific machine and crop.

Browse our net wrap for hay bales in all six stocked sizes, or if you're still deciding between net wrap and twine altogether, start with our guide on net wrap vs. twine for round bales. Curious about newer options, our look at biodegradable net wrap covers what's changing in the category.