

1.0 Silo Construction in Nebraska 



ports a wooden silo, the wall should be from 10 inches to 12 

 inches wide with no special footing. When the staves are set on 

 the foundation, they should be kept back at least five inches from 

 the inside of the wall and tied well with anchors which have been 

 previously set in the foundation. 



ERECTING THE SILO. 



The best staging for erecting silos is made by building a single 

 post cage around the silo foundation, and on this erecting walks 

 upon which the mea may work while setting up the staves and 

 placing the hoops. 



The door frame or the door staves should be set up first and 

 plumbed and stayed in at least three places. Staves can then be 

 set up on each side of the door frame and attached to it by means 

 of wet laths or barrel staves. Care must be exercised to keep the 

 lower ends of the staves in a true circle and to keep the staves 

 plumb. 



All staves should be stapled to the hoops in two places and 

 preferably three or more. 



The anchors should be well set and protected from the rubbing 

 of cattle. 



A roof adds materially to the appearance of a silo, keeps the 

 top silage from drying out, prevents storms blowing in, and 

 assists in keeping the silage from freezing. 



The chute is essential to prevent the silage blowing away as 

 it is being thrown down. It should be about three feet square 

 and contain one or two windows. A ladder nailed alongside the 

 doors, but on the chute, is very convenient to use when entering 

 the silo. 



CARE OP STAVE SILOS. 



This type of silo should be well painted. The hoops should 

 be tightened two or three times during the summer and loosened 

 while filling in the fall. All anchors should be kept tight at all 

 times, and should the silo become out of plumb it should be 

 straightened before being filled again. 



SILOS UNDERGROUND, OR PIT SILOS. 



Wherever a cheap silo is desired and the soil is of a uniform 

 texture and free from all danger of seepage, a pit silo can be 

 used to good advantage. Such silos can be built quite cheaply 

 and require less expensive cutters and a smaller engine for filling, 

 and there is no danger of the silage freezing when in the silo. 

 The greatest disadvantage in such silos is the inconvenience in 

 removing the silage. 



