In the Netherlands, police were strict with trailer operators who lost some of their silage along roadways during last year’s corn silage harvest. Owners of loaded, uncovered silage trailers were fined 240 euros ($316).
Chopped corn can easily fall or be blown out of trailers, startling drivers following behind and limiting their sight. Fallen silage has also caused skidding, especially on curves.
Commercial trailer-cover systems can be expensive, so many farmers and contractors install their own. Two systems are the most common. The first consists of two hydraulic valves, a frame and a nylon net. These are positioned along the side of an empty trailer with the frame hydraulically lifted to cover the trailer once it’s filled (see photo at left).
Another system consists of a rolled-up net fixed to a metal frame that can be hydraulically pulled over the full trailer from the rear.