APPENDIX I

Before starting to make silage, and even whilst it is being made, many and varied questions are likely to arise and to require an immediate answer. It is hoped that the answers to most of them will be found in the foregoing pages, but the following questions, which have been asked by farmers in the course of lectures, demonstrations, and advisory work, will serve as both a recapitulation and a conclusion to this account of the principles and practice of silage making.

Shall I make or buy a Silo?	This depends on the tonnage likely to be made. For large quantities of silage a pit should be con­sidered. For small quantities and high-quality crops a container is advisable.
What kind of Silo should I buy?	First cost, durability, ease of erection, cost of upkeep, and efficiency are the chief points to consider.
Where is the Best Place to erect a Silo?	A silo should be erected where it is handy for filling and feeding, especially the latter.
What Size of Silo should I buy?	The silo should be of such diameter that the animals will consume a quantity each day equal to a layer of 1 to 3 in. over the entire surface.
How much Silage should I make?	This depends on the type of farm and other foods available. To make the fullest use of silage one should plan to make enough high-quality material to feed at least 20 lb. per head per day to the dairy herd all the winter, and 56 lb. of oat and tare or other maintenance silage to all cattle. Some should also be provided for the sheep and young stock.
What Precautions are necessary in Filling?	Care must be taken to shake up each forkful, tread the whole surface evenly and firmly, and keep the centre high or well-hearted.
How Mutch should I fill in a Day?	As a rule 3 to 5 ft. depending on the condition of the crop. Sufficient must be added to allow the greenstuff to heat up.
What is the Correct Temperature for Silage?	90 degrees Fahrenheit.
Do I add Material continuously or intermittently?	Let each layer attain the desired temperature, whether the filling be continuous or intermittent.
Is Molasses required for all Crops?	No, only for young grass, clover, lucerne or sainfoin. It may be used for kale, rape or turnip tops.
Can I add to the Silo several Times in the Season?	Yes, but first remove all mould before adding more green stuff.
Is it always wise to weight the Crop at Night?	Yes, unless the crop was very wet when ensiled.
Is it necessary to chop the Crop?	Not for short material. For long stemmy crops it is advisable wherever it can be arranged, except when using a pit.
What is the Best Method of Topping Up?	Sacks or paper to keep the silage clean: then a good covering of soil, and finally a thatch.
When can I start to use the Silage?	If necessary almost immediately, but certainly in three to four weeks.
What is the Best Way of Emptying the Silo?	Commence at the top and remove a layer each day.
How long will Silage keep?	In an unopened silo for several years. Otherwise, use it fresh each day. Do not keep it out of the silo for more than two days before giving it to the stock.
Does Silage cause Abortion or Sterility in Cows?	Certainly not.
Will it Taint the Milk?	Not if given after milking and the troughs are kept clean.
Does the Acid rot the Intestines?	The idea is ludicrous. The chief acid present is that in sour milk.

 

APPENDIX II

Specifications of Silos for home manufacture:—

Wood

Specification of the "I.C.I." polygonal wood silo (p. 54 and 55) is reproduced by kind permission of Imperial Chemical Industries, Ltd., and from this any handyman should be able to construct it. Two sizes are available: one 15 ft. 3 in. diameter, and the other 9 ft. 6 in. diameter.

In making this silo the saw cut through the piece of 8 in. x 2 in. is of considerable importance, for this gives the correct angle at which the framing of adjacent panels meet. The panels are bolted together with two nuts and bolts, and a second and third tier can be bolted on if required.

Tongued and grooved boards should be used, and running horizontally they are able to resist any side thrust. All wooden silos should be given an annual dressing with creosote on the outside and when not in use should be stored under cover.

Concrete

On page 108 are given drawings of a concrete silo which is recommended by the Cement and Concrete Association, who kindly supplied details. It is the basis of most designs of concrete silos. Precast concrete slabs are used: they may be home made, but it is practically impossible to obtain the same strength, finish and lasting qualities as in the factory made article.

For slab-making, wooden moulds are, of course, necessary, and recommended proportions are 2 parts clean, coarse sand, 3 parts clean, well-graded shingle or broken stone containing no piece larger than will pass through a 3/8-in. mesh

 

Wire and Paper

Serviceable silos can be produced at very little cost from hurdles, poles and wire netting, and a lining material such as sisalkraft paper or felt.

Hurdle Silo

For making a hurdle silo the following materials will be required : 36 hurdles (18 for the silo and 18 for the over-silo) ; eight 8-ft. posts, 210 ft. of 4-ft. wide lining paper, 12 pegs each 2 ft. 6 in. long and made by nailing two laths together, no yards of fencing wire and some binder twine.

Eighteen hurdles are placed on end to form a circle, and are tied to each other with binder twine at the top, centre, and bottom as shown in the diagram on Plate III. A wire is then passed round the outside of the silo two feet from the bottom. A tourniquet is made in it for tightening the wire when pressure begins to part the hurdles.

Similar wires are fixed round the centre, and the top is kept in position by staples, which are not driven home. Around the inside of the hurdles is placed the paper lining, each ring of which is cut into three equal lengths allowing one foot for overlap at each joint. This will allow for expansion as the silage settles. The lining is kept in position tem­porarily with the wooden pegs.

As filling proceeds the supporting wires should be so tightened that the silo takes the shape of half a barrel, i.e., the top is wider than the bottom, for this will allow the silage to settle better. When the bottom tier is filled the over-silo of 18 hurdles is erected in the same manner as the first tier, and can be held in position temporarily by lashing eight upright spars from the middle of the silo to the middle of the over-silo. Three bracing wires are necessary for the over-silo. When completed the silo is topped off in the usual way and the over-silo is removed as soon as settling is complete.

Wire Netting Silo

Another simple silo can be constructed of poles, fencing wire, wire netting, and a paper lining. A circle of suitable diameter is marked out on a levelled site. Along the circumference the poles (about 14 ft. long and 3 in. thick) are sunk 18 in. into the ground at approximately 3-ft. intervals. For a 15~ft. diameter silo sixteen poles will be required.

A strand of fencing wire is then stapled to the inside of the poles 1.5 ft. from ground level, and a further strand about 15 in. above this, the object of these being to prevent bulging and to strengthen the wire netting. 'A circle of netting is then stapled to the inside of the poles, the paper lining—cut into lengths and overlapped 1 ft. at the joints—is clipped to the netting, and the first tier is ready for filling.

A wire round the outside of the poles 3 ft. from ground level will act as a support for the poles, and as filling proceeds this can be tightened by means of a tourniquet. When the first tier is nearly filled a second ring of netting can be fixed as before, again taking the precautions of using two inside wires for strengthening purposes. The bottom of the wire netting should overlap about 4 in. on the inside of the first tier. Furthermore, the paper lining must overlap the first tier of paper. If necessary a third tier can be erected in the same way. Bulging leads to the formation of air pockets which result in waste silage. Hence this must be guarded against with all improvised silos.

 

The figures in the table on page 112 refer in every case to well made silage. It will be ap­preciated that the figures will vary considerably according to the measure of success attained in the ensiling of the crop. For those who are not familiar with the terms Dry Matter, .Starch Equiva­lent, and Digestible Crude Protein the following definitions are given:—

DRY MATTER is a measure of the real value of the silage, as it expresses the number of lb. of dry food per 100 lb. of silage ready for use.

STARCH EQUIVALENT is a measure of the nutritive value in terms of pure digestible starch. It expresses the number of lb. of pure digestible starch equal in energy value to 100 lb. of silage.

DIGESTIBLE CRUDE PROTEIN expresses the value of the silage as a source of protein to the animal. It gives the number of lb. of crude protein digested by the animal when 100 lb. of the silage has been consumed.

Approximate nutritive values of various types of silage