El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1915-02-27

( minimum number of head of stock you
might want to feed, and not the maxi
mum. For example, II foot silO in
/ diameter can be used successfully for
/ feeding % head. or any greater num-
/ ber,- but it would be too large for any
number less than % or 80. This viii
! vary some, depending upon whether the
/ stock to be fed is dairy cattle, beef
| cattle or calves.
EnsiIage Dries Out Quickly.
! Tt should be kept in mind that en-
( silage dries out in Texas. especially
south Texas. much faster than further
I north. This is due to the naturally
drieV climate and the longer warm
/ season. one of the biggest feeders of
ensilage in south Texas, and one who
has 20 or more silOs, says experience has
I taught him that at least three inches
should be fed off every day to avoid
all waste. Silage does. not need to be
inedible to be waste, but any loss of
moisture from good ensilage is waste.
| though the cattle will usually eat ensi-
I lage until it becomes entirely too dry
to chew or swallow.
The amount of ensilage fed to any
kind or age cattle is usually varied
/ from a moderately small amount at the
beginning up to the maximum required
for the purposes in view. Calves will
not require as much as two year Olds
and up, and coming twOs will not need
as much as threes and fOurs
Feeding Problem Varies.
If you are feeding cows through the
dry season, they will not need as much
as beef steers. If you are feeding dairy
cows you will not feed much over half
the amount that should be fed to grown
steers. Thus most every different feed
ing problem will vary the amount Of
ensllage fed each day. From this the
prospective silO buyer viii see it is best
to keep the size of diameter relatively
small.
The small and medium sized diameter
have other advantages than the elimi-
nation Of waste. An equal amount Of
tonnage. can be fed from a relatively
small silo at less expense than from a
larger one. This is true because in
silOs OF 16 feet diameter and less, one
can pitch ensilage from the far side to
the door, but in is foot sizes and larger
this cannot be done n great portion
Of it in these larger sizes viii have to
be carried part of the way and pitched
the rest of the way to the door where it
will fall down without further handling.
1t should be said here that the 1896
foot silO is the ideal size for making
good ensilage and economical cost of
feeding. This is true, of course, pro-
viding you have need for this size,
which holds approximately 1855 tons.
In lessening the size of the silO it is
always best to lessen the size of both
diameter and the height or diameter
first and then height in order to get
the required capacity. In doing this,
it should be kept in mind that the
height should be at least twice the
diameter, and if it is higher still the
better ensilage it will make.
I fully realize that some inexper-
fenced users of silOs and some makers
of silos whose structure is not sub
stantial enough for any height greater
than 80 to "a feet, VIII advise not go
ing over this height in selecting your
silo, but the fact is silOs can be and are
being built in large numbers to a height 4
of Sc and 40 feet. Frequently. they are
built from six to eight feet higher than /
this. The u foot silO can be built in |
the SO foot height and be perfectly |
the more reliable silO /
companies are putting out this size
giving guarantee as to its standing.
Some safe Figures.
Now, to aid with facts and figures !
in selecting the size of your silo. you
viii be absolutely safe in going by the 1
following figures: The average amount !
for beef cattle is figured over a 120 4
day feeding period average. and for 4
dairy cows the general average fed by /
dairymen: % Yearling beeves will I
average % to So pounds per day: 90 /
grown steers will average 40 to so /
pounds; 90 dairy cows should be fed
about 80 pounds
In determining the correct size silo
with these figures as a base to work
on, multiply the number of head to be