126 SCIENTIFIC FEEDING OF ANIMALS 



slices of sugar beet, and less frequently, ordinary 

 grasses and clovers are used. These materials are 

 brought into pits or silos, which are either simply 

 dug out of the earth or made with bricks, cement, 

 etc. In filling the silo, the fodder is put in in 

 layers and well stamped down so as to get rid of air. 

 At the top of the pit or pile, a layer of chaff or 

 chopped straw is put, or else thick roofing paper, 

 and above that a layer of earth two feet thick. 

 The pit is finished off by placing boards closely 

 together on the top and weighting them with large 

 stones. As it is important to prevent the ground 

 water from mixing with the contents of the silo, it 

 is advisable where sour fodder is made regularly to 

 provide pits with impermeable walls rather than 

 simple pits dug out of the earth. To prevent rain 

 water entering the pits it is best to fill them above 

 the surface level, so that when the contents settle 

 down there is no depression. When the pits are 

 walled the walls ought to be continued above the 

 ground. Any cracks or chinks in the roofing must 

 always be carefully closed, to prevent as far as 

 possible the entrance of air. The size of the pits is 

 naturally regulated by the amount of fodder to be 

 made — a width of 6-14 feet with a depth of 

 6-10 feet and length according to circumstances. 



In countries where maize is the chief fodder the 

 silos are generally above ground, often of consider- 

 able height, and are protected against changes of 



