Cheraw chronicle. [volume] (Cheraw, S.C.) 1896-2005, 1922-07-06
SILO IMPORTANT IN DAIRYING

Clemson College, June 26.-Dairy
farmers are realizing more and more
the place of the silo in the successful
feeding of dairy COWS. Business farm
ers and experiment stations have
found that a silo not only increases
the yearly profits of the farm, but
eliminates many uncertainties of live
stock raising.
Many products which if fed dry
have little feed value are converted
into splendid feed by a silo. Sixty
percent of the feeding value of gOot
corn crop is in the ears and 10 per-
cent in the stalks and leaves. When
the crop is a partial failure, a much
greater percentage of the total nutri-
ents is in the roughage, and in the
event of protracted drought, the
roughage often contains practically
all the food elements. Putting the
corn in the crib, therefore, does NJ
mean that the crop is all harvested.
Can the farmer afford to waste 40
cents out of every dollar when by put
ting his corn crop in the silo, he can
get its full value, 100 percent? No.
Silage has no equal as a succulent
and economical feed for dairy cattle.
1t keeps up the flow of milk when
pastures are short, and during the
winter months it keeps up milk pro-
duction at less cost than dry forage
alone.
The Ohio Experiment Station has
shown that a silage ration produces
butter fat for Al percent less cost than
does a grain ration A silo is very
economical storage place, as ten tons
Of silage can be stored in the SAN
space as one ton of hay.
The filling of the silo can be done
in wet as well as in dry weather,
while other crops would be entirely
lost if harvested under these condi-
tions. If enough silage is produced
all the year round, the pasture acre
age can be reduced and thus larger
acreage may be used for cultivation.
Another great advantage of the ues
of the silo is that the land upon which
silage is grown is cleared early in the
season and ready for fall and winter
crops, either rye or oats for winter
pasture or oats and vetCh for hay.
The use of silage during the sum-
mer is particularly applicable on high
priced land In pasture, it requires
one to three or more acres season
for each COW, while one acre of corn
in the silo will supply succulent
roughage for several COWS, for a like
period.
Soiling crops have been used en-
tensively in place of or in addition to
pasture. The great disadvantage In
their use is that much labor is re-
uuired, for they must be cut and haul
ed every day. This is expensive be-
cause only small areas are cut at one
time. 1t is incOnvcnient also because
the field work is pressing at that sea-
son OF the year and both man and
horsepower are needed badly in the
fields. Silagc, on the other hand, is
cut at one operation when the field
work is not pressing. Besides, wealth
er conditions may interfere greatly
with a soiling system, whereas with
the silO good supply of succulent
feed for the COWS is available regard
! less of weather conditions. When it
! is not necessary to use the silO during
the summer, it can be sealed up and
/ the silage preserved for winter use,
thus preventing any waste in feed.
1t will not pay to build a silo for
/ less than ten head of dairy COWS, but
! the farmer with at least the minimum
number should at once plan to build
Il silo. The dairy farmer who in the
| fall has a silo or two full Of good
corn or sorghum silage, need not
worry about what his COWS are going
to eat.
Talking recently of the practicable
ity of a silo, farmer of Dillon Coun-
ty said he thought it was too eXpen-
sive to buy the material necessary for
filling a silo. But why should every