The Clio messenger. (Clio, Mich.) 1907-current, 1916-07-14

ouri College Of Agriculture.
stone, concrete, steel and other silos.
and finds that the material of which
the silo is made makes little or no diff
ference in the quality OF the silage. II
n good smooth air-tight wall is formed
and the material is tramped We'll there
should be no spoiled silage except ut
the top. Professor EckleS has had Il
long experience in feeding silage to
dairy cows some of which made
worlds records. He says that while
spoiled siage may not seem to injure
some farm animals, it is dangerous to
others, and has lost much of its food
value for all. The loss results almost
entirely from mold, and could have
been prevented, although the only
thing to do now is to study what has
happened in your silo and learn how
to do better next year.
Unless the silo was sealed or feed
ing was begun Immediately after I'LL
ing, from six inches to foot at the
| top is sure to be spoiled. 1t should
be put where il cannot be reached by
any farm animals. Lower down, the
presence of spoiled silage always indi-
Gates the presence of air, as the
molds which give 1t the appearance or
rotten manure could not work without
air. The lack of sufficient water in
! filling rs the commonest cause OF the
presence of air, but sufficient tramping
In an alright structure is also neces-
sary. Red mold, which sometimes
causes alarm, Is no more dangerous
than the less conspicuous forms which
often pass unnoticed.
Fill Silos Right.
In order to get the facts which the
| experiment station is discovering into
practice on the farms of the state the
college has number of extension men
always at work explaining methods.
One of these men gives the following
practical SUGGESTIONS
"Don't wait too long to fill the silo
Begin as soon as the corn is right for
fodder. The kernels should be in the
dough stage but denied and the lower
leaves turning brown. Let the corn
mature as much as possible without
becoming so dry that water must be
added to make the silage pack solidly
and ferment properly.
Cut into pieces half to three-fourths
of an inch long to make them pack
we'll and to prevent waste in feeding.
This takes more power, but is worth
it. Pack we'll with concrete hampers,
keeping the silage higher at the wall
than In the center
Fill slowly, If possible letting the
silage settle day or so at time.
This makes 1t keep better and In
creases the amount the silo will hold.
This amount may be still further in
creased by using woven wire to hold
more sllage at the top. 1t will gradu-
ally settle into the silo, but tends To
spoil while doing so. If more silage
is added after such settling, take out
the spoiled layer at the top.
IL caught by frost, the corn for sill
age should be cut before it dries out.
After that, add water. The corn may
even be shocked to put in at more
convenient time or to refill the silo,
If enough water is added.
: The experiment station has pub
lished bulletins on shock corn for sill
age, silo building, and silage fol
horses, mules and steers.
Sealing Suggestions.
There Is always some loss on the
top of the silage unless feeding is be-
, gun as soon as the silo Is filled. Where
the silage is to stand for some time
before feeding, Ii is customary to run
in three or four loads of cornstalbs
from which the ears have been re-
moved. This material is packed thor
oughly; then liberal supply of water
is added, which will help TO seal the
: silo and only very small amount OF
waste will result. Some farmers use
oat straw as Covering others snGS
the top OF the silage with water and
SOW oats which, when they terminate
I. form a dense mass which shuts out
the air and keeps the silage from
spelling.
No definite cost can be given fol-
silo filing, as it depends on many va
riable factors. such as the distance
from field to silo: weather conditions
IL being more expensive during wet
weather than clear weather; the effi-
cheney of the machinery and of the
men. The cost has been estimated as
: low as 40 cents and as high as 81 per
: ton. Seventy-five cents world proba.
, bly, be fair average