The Ordway new era., 1915-12-03
SILOS AND HOW
TO FILL THEM
Pointers Taken From
a Demonstration
In Texas


feeding in Amarillo, Texas, has lead
to the compilation of certain data,
on how and when to fill silo, which
should be of interest to farmers in
the southwest. In western Texas,
Oklahoma, Arizona, New Mexico,
ern Kansas, there are undoubtedly
many farmers who must fill a silo
for the first time and for such the
following should be timely.
The proper time to cut this feed
for silage is when the seed are in the
stiff dough stage and the bottom
leaves begin to turn brown, for at
this stage the plant will have its
maximum nutritive value and yet be
green enough to keep well in the silo.
This advice applies particularly to
the silage in the Panhandle of Texas,
the greater part of which is made
from kafir, milo, feterita and sweet
sorghum.
When there is large amount of
feed to be cut, the work should be
done with a row binder, this being
the most economical method. In
hauling the feed from the field to the
silo. a wagon with low-down bed is
much better than one with a regular
hay frame, as the green bundles are
rather heavy to lift. Use sufficient
wagons to haul feed as fast as cut.
1t should not be allowed to wilt Or
become partly cured before putting
into the silo. 1t will not keep as
we'll IL allowed to become dry. Wa
gons should be we'll loaded each trip,
otherwise the expense of filling the
silo will be greatly increased. II
one has. strong wagons, four7horse
teams may be used to advantage.
| Silage should be cut into one-half
inch lengths, as it packs In much
closer than when left longer. thus
crowding out the air, and the silage
keeps better. The capacity of the
silo is also increased and there is
less waste in feeding, as all will be
eaten.
The power required to run the sill
age cutter. with blower attached, is
ordinary figured at one horsepower
for each inch of cutter-that is. a
15-inch cutter will require Is
horsepower gasoline engine, but in
filling a pit silo where no blower is
Required, only about half this power
is needed.
| One of the most, II not the most,
important parts in filling silos is the
packing of the silage. The silage
must be packed well II it is to keep.
for this packing forces out the air
and the essential thing in making
silage is the exclusion of air. II air
spaces are left in the silo, large
amounts Of silage will be lost. In a
silo 12 feet in diameter and with a
small cutter, use two or more men.
In large silos and filling with large
cutters, keep three or more men in
the silo and see that they tramp ali
the time. Pack the edges next to
the wall the middle will take care
of itself.
When the plants are green no wa
ter need be added in making s:lage,
but IL the silage has begun to dry
or cure in the field some water should
be run into the silo while being filled.
This is done to bring the moisture
content of the silage nearer to its
natural state, to make 1t pack down
better, and help exclude the air. One
safe rule in this matter would be. If
in doubt, run in some water. Water
will not hurt the silage II there is no
excess, and every silo should have
leither a dirt floor or a drain, which
will let any excess water escape. The
best place to add the water is to
run 1t into the blower while cutting.
AS six or more feet at the top
will spoil, it Is sometimes advisable
to cover the top with some cheap or
worthless material. A layer Of cut
oat straw is sometimes run in for
towering for the silage and wet down
and we'll tramped. This forms seal
and preserves all the feed stuff.
When feeding is begun, all Of this top
layer of spoiled stun should be
thrown aside.
1t is advisable to tramp the top
of the silage every day for ten days
or two weeks after the silo is filled,
as this helps to force out the air and
tends to prevent the silage from set
tling away from the wall.