208 



FEEDS AND FEEDING, ABRIDGED 



but the uppermost layers so that the losses thru fermentation are 

 reduced to a minimum. While over 30 per ct. of the dry matter may 

 be lost in the layer of silage near the surface, the loss in the rest of the 

 silo should be less than 10 per ct. 



Capacity of the silo. — The following table - shows the approximate 

 capacity of cylindrical silos for well-matured com silage two days after 

 filling. The depth indicated is the actual depth of the silage, not the 

 height of the silo wall. It is therefore necessary to have the silo about 

 five feet higher than the depth given to allow for settling. The table 

 shows, for example, that a silo 15 feet in diameter, which contains 

 20 feet of silage after settling, will hold about 59 tons of cut corn silage. 



Approximate capacity of cylindrical silos in tons of corn silage 



Proper size of the silo. — In determining the size of silo to build, 

 the diameter should be gauged by the amount of silage to be fed daily. 

 In the cooler part of the year at least 1.5 inches, and preferably 

 2 inches, should be removed from the entire surface each day to keep it 

 from spoiling, and in summer somewhat more. Knowing the number 

 of animals to be fed and the amount for each daily, one can readily 

 calculate how much silage will be fed each day. To remove two inches 

 from the surface daily the silo should not have a larger diameter than 

 shown in the following table. For example, if about 1,000 lbs. of silage 

 is to be fed daily, the diameter of the silo should not be over 14 feet. 



When the diameter for the desired silo has been determined, the 

 total amount of silage required for any particular feeding period may 



2 Chiefly from King, Wis. Bui. 59. 



