Dairymen Tour the Valley to Learn the Gospel of the Silo

Thirty dairymen of Richland and Kennewick took advantage of the excursion through the district Tuesday to examine the different types of silos and get as much information as could be obtained in the short time available about the advantages of a silo on the farm. County Agriculturalist L. M. Lampson and Sam Ross of Richland had the affair in hand and were ably assisted by Profs. Price and Lashbrook of the state college.

Stops were made at the Abbott ranch south of town, where the visitors were given every advantage to make an examination. From there they went across the road to the Price ranch and then to the F. A. Howes ranch, where an entirely different type was illustrated and a short lecture was delivered on its merits by the men from the college. At noon lunch was served to the excursionists in Amon Hall by the Ladies' Aid of the Christian Church, and afterward Prof. Price gave a most entertaining talk on the best methods of filling and feeding from a silo.

One point was especially emphasized: the necessity of preventing the ensilage from becoming molded through filling, packing, or leaks in the sides of the silo due to shrinkage or improper construction. Prof. Price urged the dairymen to be sure to pack the ensilage down firmly at the sides as well as in the middle, as this is usually a thing they overlook and which will surely cause mold to form. In filling the silo it was recommended that if there was doubt as to whether there was enough moisture in the crop being placed in the silo, it was always best to err on the safe side and add water, as it is absolutely necessary that there be sufficient moisture in order that the feed may keep in the proper manner. In regard to the amount of silage which should be fed each day, Prof. Price stated that this varied with the amount of grain given the herd, but as a general thing it was about 40 pounds, although it sometimes went down to 30 and often reached 70 or 80 a day. It is a very important matter, according to authorities on the subject, that at least two inches be fed each day from the top layer in the silo, as only by so doing can the ensilage be fed quickly and uniformly enough to prevent molding and great loss. Prof. Price, on this account, recommended the use of two small silos for a large herd of cattle rather than one large silo.

As to when the grain was in its best state to place in the silo, it seems to be the opinion of the best authorities that corn should be cut and put in when the grain is in the soft dough stage, and that the length to which it should be cut should not exceed one-half inch, while many prefer one-quarter inch, finding that there is less waste when cut short. Small grains, such as wheat and the like, should be placed in the silo earlier in their development stage than corn.

A great many questions were asked by the different farmers in attendance, everyone showing a great deal of interest in the subject, and as there were a number of dairymen present who expect to build silos in Richland next fall, considerable valuable information was obtained from the excursion.

Prof. Lashbrook gave a very interesting lecture on the various types of silos, showing where one had the advantage over another for different classes of farms and districts, and after his talk was completed the excursion was resumed to the F. A. Friermood ranch, the Wienenga ranch, the G. L. Dietrich ranch, and the Young place. In all, five distinct types of silos were given minute inspection by the farmers, and each man who was lucky enough to be along with the bunch states that the time was certainly well spent. That the future of the Richland district depends on its dairy herds to a great extent is conceded by everyone, and it is only by the introduction of silos from which green feed may be obtained in the winter months that the best can ever be secured from cattle of any breed.

Sam Ross, one of the most prominent dairymen in the Richland district, spent a day in Grandview last week making an investigation of the different types of silos and the effects of ensilage upon the dairy herds of that district. Mr. Ross comes home a firmer believer than ever in the benefits of the silo and stated that he'd build one this fall if he had to sell all his herd but a couple of cows in order to do it.