726 Journal of Agriculture. [10 Dec, 1908. 



latter did not make good ensilage as I think they were on the dry side. Calcutta oats 

 made the best ensilage. We put a foot of straw chaff on top and then put on a 

 layer of old sleepers. There was some damaged on top and round the sides, but 

 on the whole it has been satisfactory. 



We started feeding the cows with it about the middle of February with fair 

 results. At the beginning of April we started feeding 300 ewes before lambing. 

 The results would have been better had we started earlier. We were highly pleased 

 with the results. Our lambing results are much better than our neighbours, who 

 have been feeding on hay. We intend filling to the top this coming season. 



It can be .seen that silage can be u.sed for either cows, horses or sheep. 

 The ex|>erience of Messrs. McCallum and Sons with lambing ewes is 

 interesting, .showing the value of silage over a dry food lite hay. 



Mr. F. Shackleton of Thorpdale in an interesting report says: — 



The silo was filled about the second week in December. Algerian oats, cut in 

 the " doughy " stage, were chiefly used. The best silage was made from a paddock 

 that had been sown down with cow grass and alsyke, using oats as a cover crop. 

 Owing to scarcity of labour only one man could be spared in the silo, with instruc- 

 tions to trample evenly all over. A bag shute was used to prevent material 

 spreading. The following day after filling it was covered with old bags and aboui 

 200 kerosene tins of earth were pulled up with block and tackle, and spread as 

 ■evenly as possible. The silo was opened earlv in February. There was about 

 5 inches of waste on top, and occasionally mouldy at edges for 2 or 3 inches 

 wide, but mostly good right to walls. There were not two bags of waste from 

 edges until within a foot of the bottom, when there was a strip around the silo 

 about 2 feet wide to i foot in height, presumably caused by air getting under the 

 iron. It was fed to 27 cows — between 40 and 50 lbs. per day with a L'itle bran. 

 W^ith the exception of four, the cows had been in milk since August. In February 

 and March they gave an average of 2 gallons per day, and the average test was 5.0. 

 This silage was finished by the middle of April. I then chaffed up 4 acres of 

 maize (drilled and horse hoed) ; the crop was only fair. Fed from silo whilst cutting 

 was in progress, and was not weighted in any way but fed straight away. No 

 waste, splendid feed. Cows are all in s])lendid condition, and will mostly be in 

 early in August ; are now (June) being dried off. The silo is <a thorough success 

 and makes a dairy farmer independent of the seasons to a great extent, and from 

 my experience increases the return per head from 25 per cent, to 30 per cent. 



^[r. Shackleton ran speak with authority as he keeps records of each 

 indiyidual cow's miik by Ayeighing and testing. 



Messrs. Condon Bros, of Thorpdale give their experience : — 



The material used was green oats which we filled and trampled right to the 

 roof, let it stand 24 hours, put on a layer of winnowings of oats wetted, then 

 4 tons of earth. Time taken to fill three days, 19th to 22nd December. We opened 

 it on the igth of February and were disappointed to find a good bit bad on top, 

 also about 6 inches right round the wall to the ground, also a good few mouldy 

 patches through it. We fed 36 cows on it for 71 days, and we were greatly dis- 

 appointed to find we had only about 355 tons instead of 60 tons, as some of the 

 experts reckoned. 



The feeding value was satisfactory, but as to it being mouldy round the wall, 

 we cannot give any reason for it except the thin wall. We think the cold air 

 round the outside is the cause of it. 



Messrs. Condon Bros. ' experience points to considerable loss around 

 the walls and mouldy patches through the silo, although, accordins- to the 

 letter, the material was trampled. The theory about the cold air may 

 be correct, but experience with an iron silo weatherboarded on outside 

 proves there is still waste around the edges. In the Department's 

 opinion the material for filling in this case was too dry. The crop when 

 seen bv the silo supervisor some days previous to filling was reported on 

 as then readv and Avas drying fast. Doubtless there is more w^aste with 

 cereal crops than with other crop, such as maize, sorghum, &x. 



Farmers desirous of having silos erected upon the Departmental terms 

 must apply in accordance with the following form, copies of which can 

 be obtained on application to the Secretary for Agriculture, Melbourne. 



