SILAGE SOILAGE THE PREPARATION OF FEED 263 



In trials covering 3 years at the Wisconsin Station 22 Woll, Humphrey, 

 and Oosterhuis compared corn silage and soilage as summer supplements 

 to pasture for dairy cows. In the production of milk and butter fat 

 the silage ration was as efficient as that containing soilage, and also far 

 cheaper and more convenient. (643) To provide a succession of green 

 feed for animals by means of soiling crops it is necessary to fit and plant 

 comparatively small areas to different crops at different times. As the 

 cut soilage will quickly heat in warm weather if placed in piles and 

 will then be less palatable, a supply must be harvested each day or at 

 least about every 2 days. Harvesting in small quantities and in all 

 sorts of weather is inconvenient and expensive, and moreover the work 

 must be done at the busiest season of the year. On the other hand, 

 when corn or the sorghums are grown for silage the large fields are fitted, 

 planted, cultivated, and harvested with labor saving machinery at a 

 minimum expense, and feeding the silage takes but a few minutes daily. 



Corn and sorghum return greater yields of nutrients than many of 

 the crops it is necessary to include in a soiling system. Silage furnishes 

 feed of uniformly high quality thruout the season, a goal which is diffi- 

 cult to attain by soiling, for one crop is often exhausted or too mature 

 before the next is in prime condition for feeding. The years when 

 drought is severe and pastures unusually short are the very times when 

 soiling crops will be scant or may even fail. By means of the silo, the 

 crop may be carried over from one year to the next, thus providing 

 insurance against drought. 



413. Filling the silo. Provided the material is closely packed, it is 

 not essential that green forage be cut into bits to preserve it in the silo. 

 The legumes, such as alfalfa, clover, cowpea vines, etc., are often 

 ensiled uncut, and some farmers ensile whole corn forage, tied in bundles. 

 Especially with such coarse material as corn or sorghum, the forage 

 packs much better when cut into short lengths by passing thru a 

 silage cutter. For this reason and because of the greater ease in filling 

 and especially in removing the silage, most silage crops are commonly 

 cut before being ensiled, preferably into one-half to one inch lengths. 

 If cut longer than this stock may refuse the coarser portions of corn 

 or sorghum silage. 



"When filling the silo the inpouring material should be thoroly mixed 

 and evenly spread, so as to prevent uneven settling, as well as to make 

 the mass uniform for feeding. As the friction of the walls retards the 

 settling of the adjacent forage, material here should be kept slightly 

 higher than in the center and should be especially well-tramped. The 

 silage settles best when several days are occupied in filling the silo, for 

 time is required for the forage to soften and settle and to expel the 

 entangled air thru heat and the generation of carbon dioxid. After 

 the mass has settled considerably, more forage may be placed in the 

 silo, but any spoiled material should first be removed. If feeding is 



22Wis. Bui. 235. 



