Storing Forage in Silage Piles

Jerry ClarkUW Extension

EducatorChippewa County

Dr. Brian Holmes

UW-Extension

Dept. Biological Systems

Engineering

Silage Piles-advantages

• Short or long term storage

• Inexpensive

• Filling through Feedout Dry Matter Losses Less Than 21% with Good Management

Silage Piles-disadvantages

• Dry matter losses greater than 50% without proper management

• Space requirements

• Possible distance from feeding area

Siting

• Need all weather access

• Best is concrete or asphalt slab

• Macadam surface can work

• Bare ground or macadam may lead to feed contamination

Macadam Drive

Siting

• 2% slope to allow rainfall and seep drainage• More than one pile

– May form feeding center

60

100-120

100-120

260-300

N

CommodityShed

CommodityBins

Silage Piles – Long Term Feed Center Plan

Dispose of Drainage Properly

60

100-120

N

CommodityShed

CommodityBins

Silage Piles – Phase I

Dispose of Drainage Properly

60

100-120

100-120

260-300

N

CommodityShed

CommodityBins

Silage Piles – Phase II

Dispose of Drainage Properly

60

100-120

100-120

260-300

N

CommodityShed

CommodityBins

Silage Piles – Long Term Feed Center Plan

Dispose of Drainage Properly

Siting -Wells

• Locate > 100 feet from well

• Down slope from wells

• Lighter soils – distance may be greater

• Collect leachate and dispose properly

Effect of Seepage

Tank Inlet

Settled Solids

Screen

Filling

• 3/8" to 3/4" theoretical length of cut

• Better fermentation if cut short

• Whole plant moisture– 65-70% corn silage – 60-65% hay silage

Effluent vs Silage Dry Matter

05

10152025303540455055

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100

Silage Dry Matter (%)

Eff

lue

nt

(ga

l/T)

0

5

10

15

DM

Lo

ss (

%)

Effluent Liquid Effluent DM Loss

Bastiman 1976

Filling

• Progressive wedge technique• 6” layer maximum• Side slope of 3:1

(horizontal:vertical)• Triangle cross section for small

piles• Trapezoid cross section for larger

piles• Pile height limited by reach of

unloading equipment

31

6

100

10

(Plastic & Tires)

Macadam Storage

Base ($0.50 / sq ft)

Covered Silage Piles

Surface Exposure

Steep Layers Minimize Surface Exposure

Silage Layers

Needs ShallowerSide Slopes

Packing

•Pack! Pack! And Pack some more!!!

GO PACK!

Packing• Packing Tractor

– Shuttle shift– Roll over protection &

seat belts– As heavy as possible– Duals add safety not

necessarily better packing

Packing

• Packing time

_ Multiple passes/multiple directions– 5 minutes per ton of wet

forage– ½ hour before and after filling

0

2

4

6

8

10

0 20 40 60 80 100 120

Harvest Rate, t as fed/h

Packing Time, min/t as fed

Max. Packing Time – One Tractor

46

810

12 15,000

20,000

25,000

30,000

35,000

40,000

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

18

20

22

24

26

28

30

32

De

ns

ity

(l

bs

DM

/cu

ft)

Figure 3. Density VS Tractor Weight & Layer Thickness

30.0-32.028.0-30.026.0-28.024.0-26.022.0-24.020.0-22.018.0-20.016.0-18.014.0-16.012.0-14.010.0-12.08.0-10.06.0-8.04.0-6.02.0-4.00.0-2.0

9 ft Avg. Depth35 % DM

Del. Rate = 25 TAF/hr Cont. Pack = 4.8 min./ TAF

Density(lbs DM/cu ft)

46

810

12 15

,00

0

20

,00

0

25

,00

0

30

,00

0

35

,00

0

40

,00

0

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

18

20

22

24

26

28

30

32

Den

sity

(l

bs

DM

/cu

ft)

Figure 4. Density VS Tractor Weight & Layer Thickness

30.0-32.028.0-30.026.0-28.024.0-26.022.0-24.020.0-22.018.0-20.016.0-18.014.0-16.012.0-14.010.0-12.08.0-10.06.0-8.04.0-6.02.0-4.00.0-2.0

9 ft Avg. Depth35 % DM Del. Rate = 100 TAF/hr Cont. Pack = 1.2 min./T AF

Density(lbs DM/cu ft)

Covering

• Cover as soon as possible

• 6 mil plastic • Tires touching each

other• Seal edges

Needs MoreTires

O 2

O 2

O 2

O 2

O 2

O 2

O 2

O 2

O 2

O 2

O 2

AerobicZone

Effects of Oxygen ExposureRaised pH

DM Loss

Heating

Indigestible Protein

Energy Loss

More Ammonia

Higher Fiber

Reduced Bunk Life

Reduced Feed Intake

Feedout

• Minimum 12 inches removal per day-minimizes spoilage

• Keep Smooth Face –Consider Facer

• Less can be fed out during winter

360 ft - one year

or

180 ft

180 ft

120 ft

120 ft

120 ft

or

Example:360 day feed storage period

Total Length of pile(s) should be 360 feet long, consider several piles

Feedout

Summary

• Inexpensive way to store forage

• Direct expenses include pad, labor, packing & unloading equipment, plastic, fuel

• Indirect expense is forage dry matter loss

$

Tips for Success

• Harvest at correct moisture

• Proper siting and construction

• Thorough packing• Immediate covering• Proper feedout