The Bad Lands cow boy. [volume] (Little Missouri, Dakota [i.e. N.D.]) 1884-1886, 1886-05-13
.Ensilage and silos.

! 'Ensilage and Silos.
So much has been written and said
lately on the subject Of ensilage and
silos, that it has attracted especially the
attention Of small stockmen to the bene-
fits to be derived from their use. To
anyone wishing! a ready means of fatten-
ing cattle or who have any. number Of
nllcl cows, silos undoubtedly would
prove a profitable Investment. .
(, From "a Practical Treatise. on Ensi-
Iage and silos,., by E. w. Ross & Co. of
Springfield, Ohio. we learn MANY points
of interest. Tile work consists almost
wholly in letters, written by farmers and
Others who have tested the value of ensi-
lage and all are loud in7tlieir praises of
it. .Ss;t ss:3. ,$5;Ess . ~;
As IS to be expected; opinions differ
widely as to details, but we publish as
nearly as. possible. the, substance Of the
letters. .s ,55s f,''s E. ~
Liks most other things, silos cost al
most any amount the owner wishes.
Aside from the lumber, or stone and ce-.
ment required, the item of labor is the
only expense. Thus, good silos for feed
ing a few animals, have been built for
from $50 to. $50. More elaborate ones,
for feeding a larger number Of animals,
could easily cost thousands of dollars.
The only requisites seem to be: water
and air-tight sides and bottom and a
movable top that will fit inside the walls
as perfectly as possible. Sometimes the
top consists only Of hay or straw. The
silo is usually built partly underground,
as it is then handler, both to fill and
empty. Common dimensions for a silo
are twenty feet long, ten feet deep and
twelve feet wide. Such a one, built of
lumber in this country, with double
walls filled with dirt, would cost about
$3.50. Figuring at fifty pounds to the
cubic foot, such a silo would hold about
sixty tons. This will last twenty COWS
for six months, .5 @ 81 ;. p Va y
Opinions vary as much in ensilage as
they do in silos. Clover&of different
kinds. pea vines, etc, are highly recon-
mended, but the vast majority seem to
be in favor Of corn. This is cut when
the corn is in the milk, the ears and
stalks are cut into lengths about an
inch long and the silo is filled as quick
ly as possible. The ensilage is tramped
thoroughly and the top is then put on.
Over this is spread earth or rocks, about
a foot thick. There must be a constant
and heavy. pressure and. the top of the
silo must be movable, SO that it will fol-
low the ensilage, which shrinks third
or more. The ensilage ferments and is
ready to be fed at the, END of two or three
months. AS to its relative value, we
quote an estimate from one of the let
ters. with one hundred fresh milcll
COWS, feed for six months will take ESQ
tons Of timothy hay, worth at least 81
per ton, $1,750. 1t will take at the same
time 1872 tons of bran and meal, at $14 a
ton, $3.50. This makes total cost,
under the old system, of $500. Now,
for the same time and number of cows,
with ensilage; $50 tons of ensilaga cost
in silo under the press, $3.50; fifty tons of
timothy hay; at 81 por ton, $3.50; seven
ty-two tons of bran and meal, Mt $14 per
ton, $1,000, making total Of $1,000.
We feed fifty pounds of ensilage, seven
to eight pounds Of mill-fecd and five
pounds of hay per day to each COW,
Here is a gain of $500 in favor of ensi-
lage. And not only this, but we gain in
milk from one and one-half to two
quarts day from each COW, which will
make about $1,000 more to add to the
gain in feeds" Of course the feed which
makes, milk in a COW, would make fat in
a steer. A fair to good crop Of corn en-.
silage ranges from fifteen to twenty tons
to the acre. s,...a... T..
| We predict that before many years
silos will be. htiilt- -numeronsiy, through
out the range country. An ever-oecur
ring possibility of fire, either before Of
after moving his hay, the liability Of
that feed being extremely scarce and o.
4 poor quality, and the impossibility o.
any more than keeping an animal il
condition on hay alone; will ineyitabl!
turn the ranchman's attention to ensi
lage. It is a sure crop, costs but little
if any, more than hay, is three times al
valuable as hay and cannot burn, eithel
before OF after cutting.
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