UNIVERSAL PORTLAND CEMENT CO. 
37 
General Information on Silos and Silage 
The capacity of the silo should depend upon the number of cattle to 
be fed, and the length of time that silage is required. This period usually 
pacity ^^^^ ^^^"^ ^^y^' although very frequently silage is fed 
almost the entire year. The following table shows the approxi- 
mate amount of silage required to feed 8 to 100 dairy cows 180 and 240 
days, based on a daily consumption of 40 pounds of silage per head. 
Quantity of Silage Required, and Economical Diameter of 
Silo for the Dairy Herd 
Number of 
Dairy Cows 
Feed for 
180 Days 
tons 
Feed for 
240 Days 
tons 
Diameter 
of Silo 
feet 
8 
29 
40 
10 
10 
36 
48 
10 
15 
54 
72 
12 
20 
72 
96 
12 
25 
90 
120 
14 
30 
108 
144 
16 
35 
126 
168 
16 
40 
144 
192 
18 
45 
162 
216 
18 
50 
180 
240 
20 
60 
216 
288 
22 
70 
252 
336 
22 
80 
288 
384 
22 
90 
324 
432 
22 
100 
360 
480 
22 
After determining the approximate amount of silage required, the 
most economical diameter for the silo must be decided on. The diameter 
Diameter should depend upon the number of cattle to be fed, and at least 
2 mches of silage must be removed each day to prevent spoil- 
ing. The diameter required for various numbers of cows is about as given 
in the two right columns of the table on this page. Dairy cows eat from 
30 to 40 pounds of silage per day, which amount equals about one cubic 
foot. Horses and mules eat about one-half and sheep about one-tenth 
as much as cows. 
The height of the silo must be such that the required capacity may be 
obtained with the most economical diameter, and in many cases silos have 
Height ^f^^ ^^^^ ^ height exceeding 60 feet. The high silo of small 
diameter has less waste than the silo of larger diameter, and the 
greater weight of silage in high silos reduces the amount of tramping neces- 
sary, while silos of smaller diameter allow greater variation in the size of 
