Ladysmith news-budget. [volume] (Ladysmith, Rusk County, Wis.) 1907-1927, 1909-11-11
SlIO SOLVES FEED PROBLEM

SOIL dud IuIiilSI pdSL uIc 80 dDuIiudHIiy
on the unbroken and uncultivated lands
that an animal is practically clearer
of lands, which benefits the owner far
more than the trouble to care for the
stock in the granting season.
The feeding season being approx
imately $50 days, which on high priced
feed, such as hay and grain, has been
the one great obstacle to the ordinary
stock raiser in Douglas county. This
accounts in large measure for the
lack Of profit to even those that are
such farmers as are adjacent to rail
roads and can sell their milk for city
consumption, claim to be getting much
profit from their cows. Many admit
an actual loss where ten dollars per
ton hay and the present high priced
grain is fed, and after testing it |
agree that the COW must be a good one
for high tested milk and large flow to
come out even.
To test the problem of cheap feed,
/ built silo on my farm lying east
of Bennett, on Hazel Prairie in this
county. The silo was filled one year
ago for the first time with corn en-
silage. The silo is Is feet high and is
feet in diameter. 1t extends five feet
into the ground, with a 20-foot high
wood silo standing on top. The part
below the ground is a stone wall
thoroughly lined with concrete. The
important feature of silo is to have
it air tight, which is fully perfected
by the Duplex Manufacturing company
with their patent door, so easily opened
and closed.
Both last year and this we filled
this silo with corn cut green and run
through a cutter which cut both stalks
and ears three-eighths of an inch long
which assures nothing left uneaten by
the stock. Last year the ensilage cured
perfectly and every kind of animal
would eat it III preference to any other
feed except grain. The stock came
through the winter in very much bet
ter condition than when fed on hay
or hay and grain as is general in feed
ing. The ensilage froze in the silo for
perhaps six inches on the outside,
which did not injure the feed all win
ter The ensilage cured we'll and kept
moist and fine. The corn was slight
ly frosted when put in the silo, but
it is claimed by many having silos
that the frosting was benefit, how
ever, we did not find it detrimental in
feeding it as the stock ate it all.
This silo cost not to exceed 5000 to
build complete and put good roof
on. We put in the ensilage whether
wet with rain or not and no bad re-
suits. According to the printed tables
on silos, this one holds 100 tons of
feed after being cured, which is 100
tons of actual feed for the stock. This
will feed 81 cows over "a pounds of
ensilage per day for 100 days and keep
them fat. We have again filled the
silo with corn. The corn was close
to being ripe, which is the proper
thing in order to have the sugar in
the stalk and the corn nearly mature.
However, the leaves were not drying
except few on the bottom. 1t took
25 acres of corn to fill it. The entire
cost of cutting up the corn, shocking
it and then drawing it one half mile
on an average to the silo, running it
through the cutter and into the silo
cost $780, 80. The man labor figured at
81. so per day and the man and team
at $4, which is very high price for
farm labor. This is less than one dol
lar per ton for ensilage housed, which
is much cheaper than it costs to house
any other kind of course feed. The
planting and raising of the corn did
not exceed one dollar per ton, making
about ten dollars per ton for cured
ensilage Thus the entire winters
feed for a cow will cost 1928, not
counting interest on the investment.
In addition to the ensilage the COW
should be fed on limited quantity of
straw or hay. The manure of the COW
is worth more to the farm than the
value of this roughness. [ found this
test to confirm the test of other users
of silos, that ensilage is the only
known proposition of cheap feed in a
country having long feeding season.
1t will solve the problem of feed for
Douglas county stock ralsers and until
they put up the silo and fill it with
corn, clover, rye or some other suit
able farm product that is easily raised
here but little profit can be expected
from stock raising or dairying in
Northern Wisconsin. 1t appears to be
the only cheap route for profit, as yet
demonstrated by actual test. The cost
of silo is very much cheaper than
| the cost of any other building that
will hold that many tons of course
feed, consequently no man that is able
to build a hay barn can plead not
being able to build one. Since the silo
solves the problem of feed for stock
in this country a wise farmer should
take heed and build one to insure
against the lack and loss in depending
on hay and grain.
Alumnae Associations.
The Wesleyan alumnae is the Oldest