SILOS.

New Zealand Journal of Agriculture, Volume VII, Issue 1, 15 July 1913, Page 22

SILOS.

THE TYPE SUITABLE FOR NEW ZEALAND.

W. Dibble.

While silage in the stack form will probably always appeal to the man on a large holding, especially if he be a grazier who intends to use it for feeding to farm stock in general in dry spells or when pastures and crops fail, the preparation of silage in a specially constructed building should prove an attractive proposition to the dairy-farmer, especially where it is necessary to manage a small farm in the most profitable manner. An advantage of the silo is that “ waste ” is greatly minimized, while the silage is of an improved character. In several countries, notably in Canada and in the United States of America, the silo is rapidly coming to be appreciated as a necessary part of the equipment of a dairy farm. There, however, the conditions are quite dissimilar to those in this country. The winter is severe, and stall feeding of the stock is imperative. As a means of providing an ample supply of succulent fodder in the colder months of the year, the silo presents an almost indispensable adjunct. With the rigorous winters of such countries it is necessary to construct silos of a very substantial character, much more so than would be required in our milder climate.

In considering the style of silo best adapted for the New Zealand farmer’s requirements it is perhaps unnecessary to discuss the stone, concrete, or brick structures favoured in America, but rather to describe the silos popular in Australia, that form being specially recommended which is made of sheets of steel. This is not only capable of being simply constructed, but can be dismantled rapidly and removed from farm to farm.

The first principle to be emphasized in silo-construction is that the silo must be absolutely airtight, and it is more easy to make a structure watertight than it is to make it airtight. The object, of course, in excluding air is to prevent decomposition. A certain amount of fermentation takes place by reason of the air present m the interstices of the silage itself, but as the oxygen is used up the fermentation ceases, or at least proceeds at a very slow rate.

The silo, therefore, requires to •be well built, not only to make it capable of excluding air for the time being, but also to ensure that the structure will be airtight in subsequent seasons. For this reason the wooden stave silo, which was regarded at one time as the best substitute for the more enduring and expensive form made of brick, &c., has come into disfavour. When emptied it is often so seriously affected by weather-conditions, especially if not thoroughly well constructed, that it entails constant repair or fails altogether to maintain its desired airtight character.

The particular silo recommended is known as the portable all - steel silo. This is constructed of sections of several sheets of steel attached to iron framework, the sections, in semicircular form, being supplied intact by the manufacturer. The complete sections are simply bolted together on the farm. The framework comes on the outside, a smooth surface thereby being provided on the interior wall of the silo, thus enabling the material to settle down evenly. The roof of galvanized iron is constructed on the farm. It is advisable to provide a concrete foundation, to which the' steel frames may be bolted. Drainage must be provided. for by a groove in the concrete.

The sections of steel plates described are on the market in Victoria, and have been adopted by the Victorian Department of Agriculture. The principle may . be studied from the illustration published herewith. A settler at Shannon, Mr. M. Moynihan, has arranged to import the necessary steel sections from Victoria for a 75-ton silo. The cost of these in Victoria is £4B, to which must be added the cost of roof, foundation, &c. When this is erected full details will be published in the Journal as to cost in New Zealand, method of construction, &c. : Quite a number of these

portable steel silos have been erected by the Victorian Department of Agriculture for dairy-farmers of its State, and these have given

every satisfaction. The advantage of portability is undoubted. It makes the silo a part of the movable plant of the farm, and presents no difficulty in erection.

Whatever the amount of silage to be made, it is always preferable to have two silos, so that one may always be ready waiting to be filled with any catch-crop ■ not required for the purpose originally intended. Again, where a large silo is employed there is always a danger of too much delay in utilizing the silage, and, unless there be a heavy demand on it, it may deteriorate and become useless; whereas with the

smaller silo the material can be used up when it is still in its best and most succulent condition.

. Filling the Silo. Whatever the style of silo adopted, it is always advisable to chaff the material before placing it in the silo. The Americans

provide an excellent plant for this purpose—a combined chaffer-and-elevator, or chaffer-and-blower (the latter requiring more power than the former). These can be operated by an oil-engine, while a small size is made which can be driven by tread-power, using a horse or bull. The chaffer - and - elevator and the chaffer-and-blower are here illustrated. The elevator should be 25 ft. to 30 ft. in length, in order that the silo may be made of sufficient height. Of course, the material can be placed in the silo

without chaffing, but less material will be stored, and the quality of the silage will be inferior. Material for Chaffed Silage. While any plant of fair feeding-value is suitable • for chaffed silage, the fact must be remembered that the quality of the resulting silage depends largely on the material from which it has been made.. There is nothing better for the purpose than maize, and when this is allowed to develop till the cob has become glazed the greatest weight of material and feeding-value .is secured. Of course,, the stalks will contain less succulence than when

cut in a greener stage; but there is more feeding-value 'in the plant as a whole, while the chaffing of the stalk and cob combined makes the entire mass palatable and nutritious. Maize for silage is certainly improved by intermixing with lucerne, oats in the milk stage, sorghum, millet, vetches, &c.

In filling the silo the same . procedure as to maintenance of temperature should be followed as in the case of the stack form. The first layer should be from 6 ft. to 8 ft. in depth, and this should be . allowed to settle till a temperature of 130° has been reached. Filling should then proceed at the rate of about 5 ftdaily, care being taken all the time to keep the mass spread evenly and the sides well tramped down. To make the material settle well at the sides it is advisable to pour a little water around the edges when , the silo is half filled and when the filling is completed. A good idea sometimes adopted to make ; the sides settle down evenly with the centre is to place small bags of sand or

earth around the edge when the filling is completed. Afterwards a layer of sawdust may be used with excellent effect, to exclude

the air from the top layer, or anything that will exclude the ; air will. do. ' . . Conclusion. It is realized that in recommending the silo to the dairy-farmer the initial cost is greater than with the stack form, but it will probably be found that in subsequent seasons the annual expenditure ,on preparing silage will be no greater with the silo than when stacked in - the ordinary way; while there will be less waste of valuable feeding-material and the general quality of the silage will be greatly improved.

A hand-saw is a good thing, but not to. shave with ; just so a beefcow is a good thing, but not to produce milk with.— Hansen Dairy Bulletin.

Adelaide, a member ,of the Shorthorn herd of the Ruakura Farm of Instruction, has finished her season with a record of 415 lb. of butterfat. In the previous season, which was two months longer, she gave 438 lb. This season she was dried off while still yielding 100 lb. of milk weekly, as she was about to calve in a very short time. A two-year heifer in the herd has reached 300 lb. of butter-fat, and is still giving 100 lb. of milk weekly.