6 Best Durable Silage Tarps For Small Farms That Prevent Spoilage

There’s no worse feeling than peeling back a silage tarp in the middle of winter, only to find a slimy, moldy, useless layer of spoiled feed. For a small farm, that’s not just a minor loss; it’s a significant chunk of your winter feed stores, gone. Choosing the right silage tarp isn’t about spending the most money, but about making a smart investment to protect the valuable forage you worked all season to grow.

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Why Quality Silage Tarps Matter for Small Herds

When you’re only putting up a small bunker or a few dozen bales, every single cubic foot of feed counts. Unlike massive commercial operations, a small farm has a much higher surface-area-to-volume ratio in its silage pile. This means a greater percentage of your feed is right up against the tarp, exposed to the elements and, more importantly, to oxygen.

Oxygen is the enemy of good silage. It feeds the aerobic bacteria, yeasts, and molds that cause spoilage, burn up valuable nutrients, and create waste. A cheap, thin tarp full of pinholes or one that tears easily is like leaving the door wide open for oxygen to get in. You end up with a thick, inedible crust on the top and shoulders of your pile, which is precisely where the highest losses occur. For a small herd, losing that top foot of feed can be the difference between having enough forage for the winter and having to buy expensive hay in February.

Sunfilm Gold/Black: Superior Puncture Resistance

Sunfilm’s Gold/Black tarp is built for real-world farm conditions. Its main selling point is its exceptional strength and resistance to punctures and tears. Think about dragging a tarp over a slightly lumpy pile with a few stray corn stalks sticking up, or the reality of barn cats deciding your silage pile is the perfect place for a nap. Those tiny claw marks and snags are where oxygen gets its start.

This tarp is an investment in peace of mind. While it might cost more upfront than a generic hardware store tarp, its durability often means you can get multiple seasons out of it with careful handling. The toughness also helps it hold up better against wind and the stress of being weighted down with tires or gravel bags. For anyone who has patched a cheap tarp with tape halfway through the season, the value of starting with something tougher is immediately clear.

Raven FeedFresh: High Oxygen Barrier Performance

Raven’s FeedFresh line is where you start getting into high-performance materials. These tarps are engineered with a built-in oxygen barrier (OB) layer. This isn’t just about being a thick piece of plastic; it’s a specialized film designed to be significantly less permeable to oxygen than standard polyethylene sheeting. It essentially suffocates the spoilage organisms.

The difference is dramatic. With a standard tarp, you might expect several inches of dark, spoiled silage on top. With a high-quality OB film like FeedFresh, that spoilage layer can be reduced to less than an inch. This means more palatable, higher-energy feed for your animals and far less waste to fork off and discard. This is the choice for farmers focused on maximizing feed quality and getting the most nutrition out of every pound of forage they ensile.

Global Plastic Sheeting for Long-Term Durability

Global Plastic Sheeting offers a range of tough, reliable bunker covers that are known for their longevity. These are the workhorse tarps. They might not always have the most advanced, integrated oxygen barriers, but their sheer toughness and UV resistance make them a solid choice for farmers who prioritize multi-year use. Their heavy-duty construction stands up well to sun exposure, preventing the plastic from becoming brittle and cracking after one season.

A common strategy for small farms is to pair a durable cover from Global Plastic Sheeting with a separate, less expensive, and thinner oxygen barrier film placed directly on the silage first. The OB film provides the seal, while the thick outer tarp provides the muscle and UV protection. This two-part system can be very cost-effective, as you get the best of both worlds: top-tier oxygen protection and a primary cover that can last for years.

Bunker Sile Black/White Tarp for UV Protection

The classic black and white tarp design is simple but brilliant. Bunker Sile and other brands that produce this style offer a key advantage, especially in sunnier climates. The white outer layer reflects a significant amount of solar radiation. This keeps the silage pile cooler, reducing the risk of heat damage and the growth of thermophilic (heat-loving) bacteria that can degrade protein and energy in the feed.

The black underside serves a dual purpose. It completely blocks sunlight, preventing any weed growth if you’re using the tarp for occultation in the garden, but for silage, it ensures a dark, stable environment. This combination helps maintain a more consistent temperature within the pile, leading to a better, more uniform fermentation. It’s a fundamental feature that has a real impact on feed preservation.

Up North Plastics: A Reliable All-Around Option

Up North Plastics is a name you see everywhere for a reason: they make a dependable, no-frills product that gets the job done. They offer a wide variety of sizes, which is a huge plus for small farms that don’t need a massive, commercially-sized roll. Their tarps are known for consistent quality and durability at a reasonable price point.

This is the go-to option for the farmer who wants a solid, proven performer without delving into the complexities of multi-layer films or specialized barriers. It represents a safe, reliable middle ground. You get a tarp that’s significantly better than generic construction sheeting and will effectively protect your pile from rain, snow, and a good amount of air intrusion, making it a perfect all-around choice for general use.

Farm Plastic Supply: Value for Small-Scale Bales

Not everyone is making a bunker or a drive-over pile. For those wrapping individual round bales (balage) or making very small silage stacks, Farm Plastic Supply is a great resource. They cater to smaller operations by selling tarps and films in more manageable roll sizes and quantities. This prevents you from having to buy a 100-foot roll when you only need 30 feet.

Their products offer excellent value, providing good strength and UV protection for the price. This is particularly important for balage, where each bale is its own mini-silo and the integrity of the wrap is everything. Being able to buy just what you need without a huge upfront cost makes them a practical and economical choice for hobby farmers managing smaller forage quantities.

Key Features: Tarp Thickness and Oxygen Barriers

When you’re comparing tarps, two things matter most: thickness and oxygen barrier properties. Don’t get bogged down in marketing hype; focus on these fundamentals.

Tarp thickness is measured in "mils" (one-thousandth of an inch). Most quality silage tarps are at least 5 mil thick. A 5-mil tarp is strong and effective, while a 6- or 7-mil tarp offers extra insurance against punctures and tears. Anything less than 5 mil is generally too flimsy for the rigors of covering a silage pile and will likely tear or get punctured.

The biggest leap in silage quality comes from using an oxygen barrier (OB) film. This is a very thin (usually 2 mil), flexible film that you lay down directly on the forage before putting on the main black/white tarp. It clings to the surface and is scientifically designed to block oxygen transmission at a much higher rate than standard plastic. Some premium tarps have an OB layer fused into them, but for most small farms, a two-piece system is highly effective.

Your decision-making framework can be simple:

• Good: A single, durable 5-mil or thicker black/white tarp.
• Better: A 2-mil oxygen barrier film covered by a separate 5-mil black/white tarp.
• Best: A premium, all-in-one tarp with an integrated oxygen barrier.

For a small farm, moving from "good" to "better" provides the most significant return on investment, saving you tons of feed for a relatively small additional cost.

Ultimately, your silage tarp is not an expense; it’s insurance for your feed. The time, fuel, and effort you put into planting, growing, and harvesting that forage deserve to be protected. Choosing a quality cover ensures that when you pull back that plastic, you’re greeted with the sweet, fermented smell of success, not the sour stench of spoilage.