50 
CONCRETE SILOS 
men are more particular than the average farmer, rejecting silage which 
the latter would consider fit for use. It may be stated conservatively that 
with silage crop in good condition when put in, properly tramped down and 
fed out at the rate of 2 inches or more per day, the loss in concrete silos of 
either the monolithic or block type will seldom, if ever, reach 5 per cent. 
The subject of frozen silage has attracted considerable attention, 
more perhaps than its just due. The fact has been pretty well established 
The Effects ^^^^ freezing is an inconvenience rather than a real detriment. 
of Freezing Silage which has been frozen has to be handled an extra time, 
being pitched to the center of the silo with the warmer silage 
to thaw. Silage keeps indefinitely while frozen, and instances are noted 
where it has not spoiled after thawing, when left packed in the silo. 
After thoroughly thawing out, silage which has been frozen is equally 
as nutritious as before freezing, and the cattle eat it with as great relish. 
Silage in the frozen condition is liable to produce harmful effects, and should 
never be fed. "All careful stockmen heat their drinking water," says 
Wisconsin Bulletin No. 125, "but it is a much more serious matter to feed 
a cow 40 pounds of silage at 32 degrees than to give her 20 to 30 pounds of 
ice water." 
In northern Minnesota and North Dakota, where the temperature 
frequently reaches 30 degrees below zero during the winter, and occasion- 
ally goes as low as 40 degrees below, monolithic and con- 
%llosSuccess ^^^^^ block silos are in successful use. A recent investigation 
ful in Coldest concrete silos in Minnesota failed to disclose any in which 
Climates the silage froze more than one foot back from the wall on the 
north side. Freezing to this extent occurred when the temper- 
ature was between 30 degrees and 40 degrees below zero. 
Prof. J. H. Shepperd, dean of the North Dakota Agricultural Col- 
lege, says in a recent letter: 
"I might say that our experience here indicates that there is no diffi- 
culty in putting up the ordinary type of silo in this state by reason of the 
cold weather which occurs during the winter season. Our farmers who 
have had experience with them recommend building them outside of the 
barn rather than to put them inside to protect them from heavy freezing 
of the ensilage on the walls. I think there will be a large increase in the 
number of silos in this state in the next few years." 
Prof. A. D. Wilson writes as follows, to the Minneapolis Cement 
Stave Silo Company: 
"Observation of a large number of silos during the severe winter 
weather of 1912 has convinced us that the walls haven't a great deal to do 
with the freezing of silage. * * * * The only silos of which 
Prevents know that did not freeze were those having tight roofs and 
Freezing which all of the doors were kept closed. There is evidently 
heat enough in ordinary silage to largely prevent freezing if the 
warm air generated from the silage can be kept in the silo." 
The average time required to construct a monolithic silo is from 10 
to 21 days, depending upon the height, number of men on the job, con- 
