262 ILLINOIS STATE DAIRYMEN'S ASSOCIATION. 



cumstances an inch might be sufficient, but in order to have 

 fresh silage under all circumstances the silo should be of such 

 size that approximately two inches will be fed from the surface 

 each day. After silage has been placed in the silo there is 

 more or less settling, the amount of which will depend on the 

 condition of the silage and the amount of tramping it is given 

 when the silo is filled. Under average conditions, the settling 

 will amount to about one-sixth or one-fifth of the total depth. 

 Where one silo is used, it should be of such a depth to provide 

 silage for the feeding season by removing the necessary amount 

 each day. Thus if the silo has thirty feet of silage in it after 

 settling, it will provide silage for 180 days or six months by 

 removing two inches from the surface each day. 



Table I, preceding page, gives the capacity of various sizes 

 of round silos and the amount which must be fed daily to lower 

 the surface about two inches per day. This table of capacities 

 is based upon the observation of Professor F. H. King, of 

 Wisconsin, and assumes that the silage is made of well ma- 

 tured corn and that after the silo has been filled and allowed 

 to settle for two days, it is refilled to the top. The amount 

 which should be fed daily is based upon an average weight of 

 40 pounds per cubic foot. By examining the table the econ- 

 omy of increasing the depth of the silo is observed. A silo 16 



Table II. — Amount of Silage Fed Per Day. 



KINDS OF STOCK 



Beef Cattle- 

 Wintering- Calves, 8 months old 



Wintering- Breeding Cows 



Fattening Beef r a ttle 18-22 months old- 

 First stage of fattening 



Latter stage of fattening 



Dairy Cattle 



Sheep — 



Wintering Breeding Sheep 



Fattening Lambs 



Fattening Sheep 



DAILY RATION 



POUNDS 



15 to 25 



30 to DO 



20 to 30 



1j to 30 



30 to 50 



3 to 5 



2 to 3 



3 to 4 



