Silage films and covers should be secured to maintain direct contact with the silage at all points. Any spaces between the silage material and the cover are filled with air, which can interfere with fermentation and significantly reduce the value of the final product. This direct silage-to-cover contact is provided by distributing weights across the cover. These weights should be easy to deploy and retrieve (preferably without heavy equipment), and should be somewhat flexible to avoid damaging the cover with sharp edges.
Traditionally, silage covers were weighed down using old tires, but problems with standing water pulled that option out of favor. Nowadays, tire sidewalls are preferred, although sandbags and gravel bags offer more weight. Water-filled tubes are another flexible and adjustable option that conforms well to irregular surfaces. Heavyweight flexible rubber mats are a great option that are easy to store and easy to deploy, although they are often one of the more expensive options.
