Deciding on a Silage Storage Type Craig Saxe Extension Agent Juneau County UW Extension Brian J. Holmes Biological Systems Engineering Dept. UW - Madison This presentation is interactive allowing a producer to use information about current resources and anticipated needs to help select a silage storage system that will suit current and future needs. Use the space bar or the Page Down key or down arrow to advance from the first slide to the next one. From then on, use the YES/NO response keys to advance through the logic of the presentation. If at any time you want to back up a slide or advance to the beginning or end of the presentation, use the control keys at the bottom of the slide. Note: there are cases where the back up one slide control button is not available because doing so would not return you to the most previous slide.

Flow Chart to Select Silage Storage This interactive presentation lets you respond to questions which then lead you to possible silage storage types to select. Just mouse click on your response to advance within the presentation. The buttons below have the same meaning throughout this presentation. The control keys at the bottom of this slide are explained below each. This is the convention used throughout the presentation. The control keys are secondary for proceeding through the presentation. The normal method for navigating the presentation should be responding to the questions by left clicking on the YES or NO button. This response will allow you to progress through the logic of the presentation. Left click on the NEXT SLIDE button to proceed. Presentation Beginning Previous Slide Next Slide Presentation End

Start this presentation? Click Yes to Start Flow Chart to Select Silage Storage Start this presentation? Click Yes to Start Yes No Left clicking on the Yes button will begin the logic of the presentation. Clicking on the No button will return you to the previous slide.

In next 10 years, will forage storage needs on your farm double? Flow Chart to Select Silage Storage Future Now In next 10 years, will forage storage needs on your farm double? This question is trying to determine if you will increase your silage storage need greatly relatively to your present situation. This might occur if you increase your herd size appreciably, switch from dry hay to hay silage or more corn silage, or a combination of these. Ten years is used to give a moderate to long term planning horizon. Yes No

Are your current silage needs less than 400 tons dry matter/yr? Flow Chart to Select Silage Storage Are your current silage needs less than 400 tons dry matter/yr? Yes No This question helps to determine if you are storing a relatively small or large amount of silage now. Some storage systems are more appropriate for large amounts of silage while others are more appropriate for small amounts of silage. Note: 400T DM/yr feeds about 90 cows/day at 25 lbs DM/cow/day.

Is space at your feed center limiting? Flow Chart to Select Silage Storage Yard Shed Example of feed center with limited space Barn Feed Center Shed Is space at your feed center limiting? This question is attempting to determine if you have enough space in the vicinity of your current feed center to accommodate storage systems that require a lot of space (horizontal storages as Bunkers, Piles, Bags, etc.) Yes No

$ Is capital limiting? $ vs Yes No Flow Chart to Select Silage Storage Some storage structures require large capital investments to purchase. Those with limited capital or borrowing capacity will not be able to invest in these structures. If you do not have adequate capital or borrowing power, answer YES. Yes No

Flow Chart to Select Silage Storage Consider: Silage Piles or Bags Will silage piles be covered with plastic? Well Covered Pile The way you have answered previous questions has led you to the possibility of selecting Silage Bags or Silage Piles as a storage alternative. If you will not properly cover silage piles with plastic, answer the question NO and you will be led to consider silo bags. Yes No

Is a third operator available to pack silage piles? Flow Chart to Select Silage Storage Is a third operator available to pack silage piles? Silage piles and bunker silos require at least a person to harvest, one to transport and a third person to pack the forage into the storage. If you do not have or can not obtain a third person for these operations, you should not use a bunker or pile. Answer NO if a third person is not available. Yes No

Your Solution: Consider: Silage Piles Flow Chart to Select Silage Storage Needs Shallower Side Slope Needs More Tires The way you have answered questions has led you to the logical suggestion to consider silage piles as a viable storage system for your operation. The silage piles here are not using the recommended practices of shallow side slopes (for proper packing) and uniformly weighted plastic (for oxygen exclusion). These deficiencies are noted on the slide. Your Solution: Consider: Silage Piles

Will you harvest corn with your own forage harvester? Flow Chart to Select Silage Storage Will you harvest corn with your own forage harvester? If you harvest corn with your own forage harvester, you can use the same machine to harvest hay silage. However, if you will not harvest your own corn for silage, you will have a difficult time justifying the expense of owning the forage harvester for only hay. This opens the opportunity to select silage bales as a viable storage system for hay silage. Answer No if you will not harvest corn silage or you will have corn harvested by a custom operator or neighbor etc. Yes No

Harvest labor is extremely limiting on my farm. Flow Chart to Select Silage Storage It is just me and my brother here. Harvest labor is extremely limiting on my farm. Answering YES to this question will direct you to silage storage alternatives that are low labor. Answering NO will give you a larger range of storage options but which require adequate labor to operate. Yes No

Will baling equipment be used for products besides silage baling? Flow Chart to Select Silage Storage Will baling equipment be used for products besides silage baling? The more uses you have for a piece of equipment the lower will be the cost for each operation. For example using a round baler for hay silage, hay, straw and corn stalks will spread the fixed cost over each of those commodities thus lowering the cost for each. Answering yes will lead you toward selecting silage baling as a viable system to consider. Yes No

Your Solution: Consider: Wrapped Bale Silage Flow Chart to Select Silage Storage The way you have answered questions has led you to the logical suggestion to consider silage bales as a viable storage system for your operation. Your Solution: Consider: Wrapped Bale Silage

Your Solution: Consider: Wrapped Bale Silage or Silo Bags Flow Chart to Select Silage Storage The way you have answered questions has led you to the logical suggestion to consider either silage piles or silo bags as a viable storage systems for your operation. Click the back to beginning button to rerun the presentation or the end of presentation button to end it. Your Solution: Consider: Wrapped Bale Silage or Silo Bags

Your Solution: Consider: Silo Bags Flow Chart to Select Silage Storage The way you have answered questions has led you to the logical suggestion to consider silage bags as a viable storage system for your operation. Click the back to beginning button to rerun the presentation or the end of presentation button to end it. Your Solution: Consider: Silo Bags

Do you use tower silos on your farm? Flow Chart to Select Silage Storage Do you use tower silos on your farm? If you have tower silos and use them for storing hay and/or corn silage answer YES. Yes No

My tower silos are less than 10 years old or are in good shape? Flow Chart to Select Silage Storage My tower silos are less than 10 years old or are in good shape? This question is trying to get to the value of existing tower silos on your farm. If they are in good shape they probably have some value for future use and should be kept. If they are old and or in bad shape, phasing them out over time is a possibility. Answer YES if they are in good shape and/or require minimal maintenance. Yes No

Flow Chart to Select Silage Storage Will you continue hand feeding in the barn and/or continue using a mechanical bunk? Hand feeding and mechanical bunk feeding do not usually fit well with drive by feeding systems. Answering YES to this question will lead you toward storages which are compatible with these kinds of feeding systems and away from drive by feeding systems. Yes No

Your Solution: Consider: Tower Silos Flow Chart to Select Silage Storage The way you have answered questions has led you to the logical suggestion to consider tower silos as a viable storage system for your operation. Click the back to beginning button to rerun the presentation or the end of presentation button to end it. Your Solution: Consider: Tower Silos

Is it convenient to deliver feed to a mobile TMR mixer? Flow Chart to Select Silage Storage Is it convenient to deliver feed to a mobile TMR mixer? Mobile TMR mixers can be driven to the source of feed and to the location of feeding. For them to be fully effective, convenient and fast filling is needed. High speed conveyors and front end loaders allow for fast filling of a mobile TMR. Answer YES if your storage is or can be set up to deliver feed quickly and conveniently to a mobile TMR mixer. Yes No

Do you have adequate room for a stationary TMR mixer? Flow Chart to Select Silage Storage Do you have adequate room for a stationary TMR mixer? Answer YES if you have enough room in your feed room or a feed room can be built to accept a stationary TMR mixer. Answering NO will lead you toward a mobile TMR mixer. Yes No

Part of Your Solution Is: Abandon Tower Silos Continue? Flow Chart to Select Silage Storage Part of Your Solution Is: Abandon Tower Silos Continue? The way you have answered questions has led you to the logical suggestion to consider abandoning your existing tower silos. If you answer YES to the question about continuing, you will be given the opportunity to see what silage storage choices might work for you Answering NO will send you to the end of the presentation. Click the back to beginning button to rerun the presentation or the end of presentation button to end it. Yes No

Is there adequate space near tower silos to store silo bags? Flow Chart to Select Silage Storage Space for Bags After Demolition Space for Bags Is there adequate space near tower silos to store silo bags? This question helps to determine if a feed center can be developed using tower silos and bags. If space is not available, this option will not work. Answer yes if multiple bags of 100-200 ft length will fit near the tower silos. Yes No

Flow Chart to Select Silage Storage Your Solution: Use Bags and Existing Tower Silos in a Feed Center Design The way you have answered questions has led you to the logical suggestion to consider existing tower silos and silage bags in a feed center design as a viable storage system for your operation. Click the back to beginning button to rerun the presentation or the end of presentation button to end it.

Will bunker silos be covered? Flow Chart to Select Silage Storage Will bunker silos be covered? If bunker silos will not be covered, another silage storage system that protects the forage should be selected. Answer YES if you will cover silage in bunkers with plastic and weight it uniformly. Yes No

Is a third operator available to pack bunker silos? Flow Chart to Select Silage Storage Is a third operator available to pack bunker silos? Silage piles and bunker silos require at least a person to harvest, one to transport and a third person to pack the forage into the storage. If you do not have or can not obtain a third person for these operations, you should not use a bunker or pile. Answer NO if a third person is not available. Yes No

Your Solution: Consider: Bunker Silos Flow Chart to Select Silage Storage The way you have answered questions has led you to the logical suggestion to consider bunker silos as a viable storage system for your operation. Click the back to beginning button to rerun the presentation or the end of presentation button to end it. Your Solution: Consider: Bunker Silos

Your Solution: Consider: Tower Silos or Silo Bags Flow Chart to Select Silage Storage The way you have answered questions has led you to the logical suggestion to consider EITHER tower silos OR silage bags as viable storage systems for your operation. Click the back to beginning button to rerun the presentation or the end of presentation button to end it. Your Solution: Consider: Tower Silos or Silo Bags

Flow Chart to Select Silage Storage You have used information about your operation to select and/or narrow your choices for a silage storage system. Consider the cost and management of the selected system before deciding on your best option. For more information on silage storage, access the Harvest and Storage web site at: http://www.uwex.edu/ces/crops/uwforage/storage.htm Presentation Beginning Last Slide