476 Bulletin 167. 



the upper part of a silo 24 feet deep, a cubic foot of silage will 

 not weigh more than 35 to 38 pounds, while in the lower part 

 the weight will run from 40 to 45 pounds. At Cornell Univer- 

 sity a silo 24 feet deep was filled with well matured corn during 

 the latter part of September 1898. After allowing it to settle for 

 four or five days it was filled again to the top. This was repeated 

 three times, the silo being filled to the top each time after it had 

 been allowed to settle. It was finally covered over with about 

 one foot of freshly cut second growth clover. When the silo was 

 opened in November the silage had settled so that the top of it 

 was five feet below the top of silo. On the 25th day of February 

 1899 several samples each consisting of one cubic foot of settled 

 silage were weighed. These samples were taken at a depth of 14 

 feet from the top of the silo and 9 feet below where the top of the 

 settled silage had been. The weight of one cubic foot of silage 

 at the depths above mentioned was found to be 38 pounds. 



How to use the above table. — The table given above is to enable one 

 who contemplates constructing a silo to estimate the size of silo 

 which will be needed. From 25 to 30 pounds of silage per cow is 

 regarded as a light daily ration, 35 to 40 pounds as a medium and 

 40 to 50 as liberal. If it is assumed that 40 pounds of silage or 

 one cubic foot per day, will be about the amount fed per cow, we 

 can then closely estimate the size of silo needed. 



The table gives the capacity of silos could they be filled with set- 

 tled silage. Practically this is never possible. If the silo is filled 

 with well matured corn and then after the silage has settled is 

 filled again and this is repeated two or three times, we can get 

 only about three-fourths the maximum capacity of the silo in set- 

 tled silage. If the silo is filled but once and is not refilled after 

 the silage has settled, not more than two-thirds the capacity of 

 the silo can be obtained in settled silage. Thus if the silo can be 

 filled in the manner first mentioned one should be constructed 

 which has a maximum capacity- one-third greater than for the 

 amount of silage required. If the silo is to be filled rapidly and 

 not refilled after settling, it should have a capacity one-half 

 greater than for the actual amount of silage required. 



If, as in the case previously mentioned, 20 cows are to be fed 

 from Nov. ist to May ist a period of 181 days there will be con- 

 sumed 72.4 tons of silage. 



