284 ILLINOIS DAIRYMEN'S ASSOCIATION. 



No. of Animals to Approximate 



be Fed from the Inside No. Acres Capacity 



Silo for 200 Days. Diameter. Height. Corn. in tons. 



20 to 25 14 28 8 to 9 100 



25 to 30 15 30 9 to 10 115 



30 to 35 16 32 11 to 12 145 



35 to 40 17 34 12 to 14 175 



40 to 45 18 36 15 to 17 200 



50 to 60 19 38 18 to 20 250 



60 to 70 20 40 23 to 25 300 



A silo should never be built over 20 feet in diameter. If it 

 is necessary to have more material to feed it is better to build two 

 smaller receptacles than one larger than 20 feet in diameter. It 

 involves considerable more labor to handle silage in a very large 

 structure than in one of reasonable size. Many farmers prefer 

 to have two silos. They feed from one during the winter, and 

 have the contents of the other for midsummer's feeding. 



Location. 



The silo should never be built in the barn. Silage is more or 

 less a fermented product and must be fed with care, otherwise 

 the milk may become tainted by its use. Barns that contain a 

 silo always bear the odor of the silage and this should be 

 avoided if high grade milk is to be produced. The building 

 should be constructed outside of the barn, but close to it, and if 

 possible at the end of the main feeding alley. The silo can be 

 connected to the barn by means of a covered platform which is 

 to receive the material when it is taken from the pit. A vehicle 

 of some kind, which is used to carry the silage to the stock, can 

 be wheeled on this platform and filled. The door between the 

 platform and the barn should be closed w^hen the contents are 

 being taken from the silo. 



Foundation. 



A circular foundation of stone, brick or grout is constructed 

 extending from two to three feet above the ground to protect the 

 timbers from moisture. The wall is built from 14 to 20 inches 

 thick, depending upon the nature of the soil and the size of silo to 

 be built. The top of the wall should be beveled outward which 

 permits the water to flow away very quickly from the base of the 



