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Show Silo Uraloaders end Bunk Feeders Aid In "Automating" One More Farming Job By IRA MILLER Farm Electrification Bureau Many farmers still are climbing silos, but an increasing number are handling silage the push-button way. There is, however, a realistic problem prob-lem to be faced by those considering the installation of a mechanical silo as nearly automatic as possible. This can be done in several ways. If the silo is built next to the barn, a "vestibule" can be constructed to provide access between the silo chute and the barn. In some cases, silos are located directly against the barn wall, thus permitting arrangements arrange-ments to be made for silage to be EASY DOfcS IT From silo lo feed lot the push-button way. unloader. It's simply this: "How many head of cattle must I have to make a device of this kind pay?" The answer to the question is not easily determined, although a survey made by the Agricultural Engineering Engineer-ing Department of Ohio State University Uni-versity sheds some light on the subject. sub-ject. It shows that the average Ohio farm with a mechanical silo unloader is 250 acres. In the group of farmers reporting were those with farms of from 70 to 650 acres, and whose herds ranged from 20 to 300 head. The average fanjper fed the equiva-valent equiva-valent of 70 head of dairy or beef cattle. For maximum efficiency, a silo unloader un-loader should be fitted into the farmer's farm-er's feeding operations, making them "chuted" into feed carts in the barn rather than in an area connected to it. A few silos are constructed with a circular feed bunk around the base. The bunk may revolve under the chute opening, or a conveyor may be installed in the bunk to spread the silage around the feed "track." Another idea, which is gaining in popularity and use, is the type of installation pictured with this on-the-farm report. Generally it is used to transport silage from the silo to the feed lot. The unloader in this silo is operated by a 5-horsepower motor. mo-tor. The conveyor in the trough is driven by a 2-horsepower motor. Float-type drinking cups are a part of this particular installation. |