The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1912-05-09
LARSEN FAv0RS
THE FARM S|L0
STATE COLLEGE PROFESSOR AD.
VOCATES THE USE OF SILL
AGE FOR FEED.
INSTRUCTIONS FOR BUILDING S|lO
Prof. Larsen Gives Some Pointers on
the Construction of SiIos, From
Practical Experience.

PrOf. Larsen, head OF the dairy de-
partment at the college, has written
the following article for the Better
Farming association upon the con
struction and use of the silo. We
firmly believe that the silo is one Of
the best and most important things on
the farm and therefore we give the
professors article in full:
THE more the writer feeds silage
and the higher the price of hay and
grains, the more does he realize the
great importance of having one or
more silos on every farm in South
Dakota.
Generally speaking, the corn stalks
from over two million acres OF land
go to waste every year. Enough feed
is wasted to feed a million and a half
more COWS and young stock.
About forty per cent Of the food
value of the corn plant is in the stalk.
Since all of the work necessary to
raise a crop of corn is bestowed on
the stalk as well as on the ear, why
not utilize all of it? True it is, that
in some instances we turn stock into
the corn-stalk fields. AS q result Of
this, a portion of the corn stalk leaves
are utilized. This usually is done
during the winter when the weather
is very cold and many times there are
big snow banks in the field. Under
such conditions cattle do not thrive
well. Besides, many COWS and young
stock are lost every veal from what is
known as corn stalk disease which
is a direct result from eating this dry
fodder.
When the whole corn crop Is cut
up and put into a silo, every spear Of
it is eagerly eaten by the cows. 1t
can be fed in the barn or in a shelter
ed place. Cows and young stock feed
ing on this silage are constantly gain
ing in weight, while if compelled to
rustic in the cold snowy corn field for
dry corn stalks they would be losing
in fat and many times stunted in their
growth.
Corn silage is a succulent feed and
healthy for all kinds of stock. 1t is
cheap and very convenient to feed.
I'VE cannot blame some people for
Directing to taking care Of stock,
when we consider the Of car
ing for them, and the conditions under
which they are to be handled. With
plenty of silage, a barn, and other
feed handy, farmers are enabled to do
winter dairying and to take care Of
the young stock in a profitable man
ner and with pleasure. Every farm
can be turned into a continuous fac
tory for the production of human
foods.
From the number of inquiries the
writer gets this seems to be one of
the chief questions to be settled. The
writer wishes to state here hat it
isn't so much a question of kind of
construction material. This will de-
pend upon conditions. 1t is far more
important to have the silo properly
constructed. 1t is very easy to ruin
any kind of a silo in the building OF it.
A wooden or stave silo, if not proper
ly stayed and properly cared for may
blow down as several have done. This
is not due to the kind of construction
material, but the improper care and
construction. A concrete cement
block, or tile brick silo, may crack.
This is not the fault Of the material,
but to che manner of putting it up.
"Silos may be built of wood, solid
concrete, cement blocks, brick and
even ordinary rock. Any construc-
ton material which will make the
silo air tight, reasonably smooth on
the inside and stand the outward
pressure of the silage, and not be ma
terially affected by the Preventative
products in the silage. may be used
for silo building.
"A silo should be high in proper
ton to width or diameter. A general
rule is to build a silo twice as high as
it Is wide. The deeper the silo, the
greater will be the pressure of the
silage. This excludes air and causes
the silage to keep better. More silage
can also be stored per cubic foot Of
space.
THE size Of the silo depends upon
the amount Of silage needed or upon