Krone BigPack vs. Round Baler: Which Net Wrap Setup Delivers Better ROI for European Dairy Farms

Before comparing costs, it’s worth clearing up something that trips up a lot of buyers researching this exact question: the Krone BigPack doesn’t use net wrap at all. BigPack large square balers bind bales using a twine knotting system — Krone’s V-knotter or double-knotter technology — not net. Net wrap is used on round balers, including Krone’s own VariPack and CombiPack ranges.

So the real decision European dairy farms are weighing isn’t “which net wrap works better on which machine” — it’s whether a twine-bound square baling system (BigPack) or a net-wrapped round baling system delivers better overall ROI for their specific operation. That’s a genuinely useful comparison, and the binding method — net vs. twine — turns out to be one of the biggest cost and labor variables in the entire decision, alongside storage density and handling logistics. This guide breaks down both sides honestly, with the real numbers dairy farms should be weighing.

Why This Comparison Matters More Than the Baler Brand

Whether you’re comparing Krone against Claas, McHale, or John Deere, the underlying decision is the same: square bale with twine, or round bale with net wrap. Each system has structurally different costs that go well beyond the purchase price of the baler itself:

Factor	Round Baler + Net Wrap	BigPack Square Baler + Twine
Binding material	Net wrap (plastic netting)	Twine (2–6 strands depending on bale size)
Wraps per bale	Typically 2–4 net wraps	Multiple twine strands per bale, tied at both ends
Bale density	Moderate-high	Very high — square balers pack more densely
Storage stacking efficiency	Lower — round bales leave air gaps when stacked	Higher — square bales stack tightly, maximizing shed/barn space
Handling equipment	Bale spear/grab, simple handling	Bale grab or forks, often requires more precise stacking equipment
Typical throughput (bales/hour)	High for hay/straw, moderate for dense silage	Very high, especially with HighSpeed/Gen 5 BigPack models
Best suited for	Mixed hay/straw/silage operations, smaller-to-mid herds	High-volume dairy and contracting operations moving large tonnages

Net Wrap Cost Structure for Round Balers

For round balers, net wrap cost per bale depends on roll price, wraps-per-bale setting, and bale size — but the real ROI driver is less about the net wrap price itself and more about what the net wrap protects. A properly specified net wrap:

• Holds bale shape and density through transport and storage, directly reducing spoilage
• Reduces labor time per bale compared to twine, since net wrap requires fewer wrap cycles to fully bind a bale
• Cuts baling time per bale meaningfully compared to multi-strand twine tying, which matters at scale during narrow weather windows

Net Wrap Parameter	Typical Range for Dairy Silage/Hay Operations	ROI Impact
Net weight (gauge)	9–12 g/m² for silage; 8–10 g/m² for dry hay	Heavier gauge reduces spoilage risk from net failure
Wraps per bale	2–4, depending on crop density and moisture	More wraps = more material cost but lower loose-bale risk
Roll length	Up to 3000m / 9840ft	Longer rolls reduce roll-change downtime during long baling days
Material	100% virgin HDPE with UV stabilizer	Affects tensile consistency and shelf life in variable storage

Reference specs based on standard bale net wrap manufacturing ranges (Xinhui Netting product data). Confirm against your baler’s operator manual.

Twine Cost Structure for BigPack Square Balers

BigPack balers use significantly more binding material per bale than a round baler uses in net wrap, because square bales are bound with multiple full-length twine strands rather than a wrapped net layer. Twine cost per tonne baled is generally higher than net wrap cost per tonne on a straight material basis, but that comparison alone misses the bigger picture — square bales pack more crop per bale and stack far more efficiently, which changes the overall cost-per-tonne calculation once storage and transport are factored in.

The Real ROI Comparison: Beyond Material Cost Per Bale

Comparing net wrap price per roll to twine price per ball tells you almost nothing useful on its own. A proper ROI comparison for a dairy farm needs to account for:

1. Storage density. Square bales from a BigPack stack with minimal air gaps, meaning more forage fits in the same barn or shed footprint. Round bales, even well-wrapped ones, leave curved gaps when stacked. For dairy operations with limited covered storage, this alone can be the deciding factor regardless of binding material cost.

2. Labor time per tonne. Round balers with net wrap typically cycle faster per bale than BigPack twine-tying cycles, but BigPack bales contain significantly more crop per bale — so the real comparison is labor time per tonne harvested, not per bale produced.

3. Spoilage risk. A round bale with under-specified or loose net wrap is more prone to shape loss, moisture ingress, and outer-layer spoilage than a tightly bound square bale — but a square bale with a broken twine strand can also lose structural integrity during handling. Both systems carry spoilage risk tied directly to binding material quality, not just baler brand.

4. Handling and transport efficiency. Square bales generally load more efficiently onto flatbed trailers and require less specialized handling equipment for tight stacking, which matters for dairy operations moving large forage volumes between fields, storage, and the milking herd’s feed area.

5. Equipment investment and versatility. Round balers are typically more versatile across hay, straw, and silage in mixed operations, while BigPack square balers are generally favored by high-volume dairy and contracting operations prioritizing maximum throughput and storage density.

Hands-On: How to Model the ROI for Your Own Operation

Step 1 — Calculate your typical bale weight for each system. Get actual weights from your baler’s density settings or a recent load, not manufacturer specification sheets alone.

Step 2 — Calculate binding material cost per tonne, not per bale. Divide your net wrap or twine cost per bale by the actual bale weight to get a true cost-per-tonne figure for each system.

Step 3 — Measure your actual storage footprint utilization. Compare how many tonnes of forage fit in your existing storage space under each stacking pattern — this is often the single largest hidden cost difference between the two systems.

Step 4 — Track labor hours per tonne over a full baling day. Time an actual field run for both systems if you have access to both, including wrap/tie cycles and roll or ball changes.

Step 5 — Factor in spoilage from a recent season. If you have historical data on rejected or spoiled bales from either system, include that loss as a direct cost against the binding material’s performance.

Step 6 — Add it all together per tonne of forage handled. The system with the lower true cost per tonne — accounting for material, storage, labor, and spoilage — is the better ROI choice for your specific operation, which may not match the answer for a neighboring farm with different storage or herd size.

Why Net Wrap Quality Still Matters Even If You Choose Square Baling

Most dairy operations don’t run exclusively square or round — many run a BigPack for high-volume silage and a round baler for straw, smaller lots, or fields the square baler can’t efficiently reach. For the round baler side of a mixed operation, net wrap specification still directly affects the ROI comparison above: a lower-tensile net wrap that lets bales lose shape erodes exactly the storage-density and spoilage advantages round baling is trying to deliver.

Xinhui Netting manufactures bale net wrap using 100% virgin HDPE with UV stabilizers, in widths from 48″ to 67″ and weights from 7 to 12 g/m², with roll lengths up to 3000m, from a 25,000㎡ facility in Changzhou, China, supplying dairy, hay, and silage operations across Europe, North America, South America, and Australia.

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