CARE AND MANAGEMENT OF DAIRY CATTLE 271 



as well as the most economical form of succulence that can be 

 provided. 



The fundamental principle in the preservation of green 

 forage when placed in a silo is the exclusion of air. To pre- 

 vent the air from reaching the silage, the silo must be constructed 

 with air-tight walls. These walls must be rigid enough to pre- 

 vent springing out of shape by the pressure of the silage, for in 

 this case air will enter next to the wall. The pressure is greatest 

 from the second to the sixth day after filUng. The silage at 

 this time begins to heat and settle, and if the walls are not 

 sufficiently rigid to prevent any bulging, a considerable loss of 

 silage is likely to result. The walls should be perpendicular, 

 and the diameter the same from the bottom to the top. 



The size of the silo. — On being exposed to the air, silage 

 spoils rapidly,, and to avoid this must be fed off at the rate of 

 one and one-half to two inches 

 daily in the winter and three 

 inches in the summer. A good 

 plan is so to construct the silo 

 that the horizontal feeding area 

 for each cow will be approxi- 

 mately six square feet daily. If 

 we feed six square feet off the 

 top and two inches down, this 

 means one cubic foot to the cow. 

 The approximate weight of a cu- 

 bic foot of silage is forty pounds, 

 though this varies much between 



the top and the bottom. As this is about the proper quantity 

 to feed daily, it becomes evident that six square feet is the 

 proper area for each cow. 



The table that follows gives the capacity of a silo of various 

 widths and depths; also the area required to fill it, and the 

 approximate quantity that should be fed daily to lower the 



Fig. 87. — Dutch Belted Cow 

 "Echo 2." A first prizewinner. 

 Owned by R. F. Sanders, Bristol, 

 N. H. 



