Speed In Silo Building Is Urged By Competition Judge

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19124, 19 September 1936, Page 13

Speed In Silo Building Is Urged By Competition Judge

INTERESTING comment on the recent ensilage competition for Gisborne and Coast farmers is made by the judge, Mr. E. M. Bates, instructor in agriculture, Gisboriie. The maximum points were 120, and the maximum for the various points taken into account were: 'Uniformity' of silage, 40; quality of material, 20; waste. 2. r >; cover, 20; site, 5; relative quantity to the size of the herd, .10; total. ll'O.

1 Details of points in the order mentioned above are given below: — J. B. Dewes, Kuatoria, 39, 19, 24, 20, 5, 10, J 17; G. T. Harris, Tokomaru, 40, 20, 2::, 10, 4,0, 112; A. L. Kemp, Euatoria, 38, 19, 22, .18, y, 10, 112; Boy Walker, Tikitiki, 38, 19, 22, IS, 4, 30, 111; 11. W. Thatcher, Ruatoria, 39, 17, 24, 20, ;">, 0, 111; Niha Pci, Ruatoria, 35, 17, 22, IS, 5,7, 104; M. W. Halliwell, Whakaangiangi, 30, 19, 18, 10, 3, 10, 102; G. Sefton,'Buha, 35, 18, 23,18, 3,5, 102; H. F. Robb, To Aral, 34, 17, 20, 15, 4,9, 99; JS r . S. Th.omas, Tolaga, 34, 16, 19, 17, 3,9, 98; F. W. Shelton, Tolaga, 30, 17, 22, 10, 5, S, OS; J. Devcr, Makarika 32, 20, 21, 15, 5,4, 97; T. Sewell, Patutahi, 34, 19, 19, 15, 3,7, 97; M. O'Sullivan, Ruatoria, 39, 19, 13, 12, 4,7, 94; R. Knight, Repongaere, 27, 18, 22, 16, 4,7, 94. Winner's Excellent Pit

Mr. Dates' report states: "Of the first 15 placed competitors, all with the exception of two had made green to green-yellow silnge—the remaining two having yellow and yell,ow-brown silage. "Mr. ,T. D. Dewes, who secured first place, had entered an excellent pit, but with two stacks of silage on his property ho can expect a fair amount of waste, as the earth cover is not carried out sufficiently on the sides. Mr. Dewes expressed the opinion that he might as well go off the farm as go off ensilage. He could utilise his ensilage to better advantage by feeding out on existing pastures to improve them.

"Mr. A. L. Kemp entered a semipit. He invariable has good quality in all ensilage made, and he makes a good deal. "Mr. G. T. Harris made three small pits about four tons of material each, having to cut his material by hand from one small paddock during the season. His entry, one of these pits, was easily the best quality material and ensilage inspected this season, being really excellent —perfectly green and having a very pleasant .odour and very little waste. Cows preferred tin silage to fresh-cut, green oats. Another pit visited later was not so good, however. In some cases the material was good in the lower layers and overheated in the top layers, eithei through not enough earth cover or delay in putting this on.

"Mr. H. W. Thatcher made an excellent job of the material available and I considered his performance most creditable. "Mr. Boy "Walker's stack entry at Tikitiln was excellent, and ho was making good use of his large stacks. Trench and Pit "There is no doubt that the trench and pit is the cheapest and easiest method of making ensilage. With both stacks and silos the waste is frequently considerable. Silt is best for a trench ,or pit and requires no drainage outlet. Where walls are crumbly, sides should be boarded, or better, concreted. Personally) 1' favour the trench in good ground as labour can be cut down to a minimum by driving the horses in at one end and out at the other, the green material being droppod where desired f,or spreading, and horses can also pull the earth on top, using a scoop. The consolidation is tin advantage. Frequently a small hillock can be trenched through. The tumbler sweep is now being used quite extensively and here two sweeps with single horses and smaller loads cause less tangling of material and are better thai) one sweep with lanro loads requiring two horses. "Only one silo was entered, and here the waste round the outside Mas comparable to any of the stacks--given the same material —this being

due to shrinkage and inability fo exclude air. The silo was covered. Had the silos been made with a batter of about 1 in .14 and sealed round the sides to exclude air, the question of boss would not arise, if the silo was covered. The loss in silos of chaffed material is much less. However, 7iono in this district is chaffed, as far as I know.

"The question of when material should be cut frequently arises. It is unnecessary to cut too early as material may be too sappy and require wilting, but if cut too late, the. coarser and often stalky material retains too much air and fermentation and consequently overheating frequently results. Coarser material should be put in quickly. Then again the weight of a cubic foot of such material is lighter than compressed green material, and while the silage is greater in quantity it: may be no more in tonnage, besides being of decidedly inferior quality.

The same difference that exists be tween grass and roughage may exist between ensilage made of leafy material and stalky material. The former can be used as a producing fodder for any period if properly made, and the latter may only be a maintenance ration at best. Earlier cutting of the paddock or crop also gives a better and quicker aftermath. Grasses are best cut in the early flowering stage, and in a mixed pasture the time of shutting up may bo gauged so as to get as much clover as possible without having the grass too woody by early shutting up, for example. Six Feet A Day "While the majority of those making silago know that the material should be green, there are still some who understand that, brown sweet ensilage should be aimed at. The loss in food value in overcooking is unnecessary, and the carotene content may be entirely destroyed. If caught with wet weather with the green material not carted, cocking often prevents it becoming very wet.

"There are still instances where farmers arc taking days, even weeks, too long to get, the material in and weighted, the product invariably resulting in brown ensilage. "As a general principle, 6ft 01 material should be added daily and earth cover of 2ft put on straight away, or without much delay. The first layer carted is better wilted first for some hours or, as is frequently done, left for 24 hours before m.ore material is added. Grass and toppings especially should certainly be built quickly. Some wilting with lucerne or lush material is, in my opinion, frequently desirable, but building should be daily. Sourness is caused partly by excessive moisture. Sour material always conies out wet, although I have seen little really sour silage. The best material is only m.oist and drainago from well-timed material is negligible or non-existent. For those who understand ensilage making, some wilting of the lower layers especially should be tried for a finer article if it is considered the material can stand it and the weather is suitable. "For those who favour the stacks, f would recommend them t,o dig about ,Ift on the proposed site of the stack, if drainage is satisfactory, and keep the earth for covering the stack when finished. This will reduce loss, labour, difficulty in building, and provide earth for the' cover. In the building, one should always do able to bury the hand to the wrist without discomfort.'

"While on the subject of stacks, 1 am frequently asked for a formula for estimation of tonnage. For a round stack or pit: Radius (half the diameter) by height (both in feet) _ divided by .16 equals approximate weight, in tons! A cubic foot of ensilage weighs about 401 b."

He ToldHet '"■ Mrs. Peck: Xow, Henry, what are you thinking about? T can always tell when you have some thought that you are trying to conceal from me. Out with it!" Henry: I was just wondering what tlte Mormons could see in polygamy.