In order to save, agricultural and livestock enterprises are engaged in the preparation of feed by silage technology. It consists in collecting grass from the fields and its subsequent conservation. After a certain time, a ready feed for livestock is obtained from the silo , which practically does not require investments. However, for the proper storage of this agricultural product, a silo is required, a photograph with an example of which is presented below. This construction provides optimal storage conditions for prepared grass and at the same time requires minimal maintenance costs.
Purpose of the silo
As already noted, the main purpose of towers of this type is to store the silage-based feed base. After cleaning and analysis of the prepared material for moisture indicators, the raw materials are sent to the receiver of such structures. A feature of the conditions created by the silo is the ability to ensure tightness. It is the lack of access to oxygen that allows, in the shortest possible time, to bring the grass collection to the optimum state suitable for food.
In addition to feed, silos are also used to store crops. From this point of view, these designs are attractive in capacity and maintaining favorable temperature conditions. A modern silo, for example, provides the ability to integrate thermostats to track microclimate characteristics.
Silo device
The base of the towers is formed by hermetic walls, which can be made of a variety of materials. Traditional rural structures are usually made of brick, wood, concrete and stone. In recent years, agricultural equipment manufacturers have produced special prefabricated kits, of which installation is subsequently performed at the installation site. The result is an inexpensive and affordable silo in construction, the device of which involves assembling the frame from the panels. Individual components can be made of other materials - for example, functional working parts are made of plastic, but for the foundation, you still have to make a reinforced concrete base. It is also worth noting that maintaining the durability of the structure and ensuring the conditions of the agricultural product is impossible without special protection of the surfaces of the structure. Therefore, manufacturers provide the same metal panels for the frame with protective coatings that protect the surface from moisture, chemical influences and mechanical damage.
Specifications
The tower may be ground or partially buried - it depends on local climatic conditions and operational requirements. The height of the structure on average varies from 7 to 15 m, again, this parameter depends on the volume of loading that the service company is counting on. A characteristic feature of such objects is the execution of the upper part. The traditional silo roof has a conical shape that completes the cylindrical base of the structure. The diameter varies from 5 to 7 m. There is another feature of such buildings. The bottom is made in such a way that the juice from the silo accumulates in a special pit during storage. To do this, the project initially lays down the slope of the basic foundation base of 2-3%.
Operation of the facility
The main work steps come down to loading and unloading the contents of the material. Also, in some cases, the technological ability to perform tampering operations with special machines is allowed. To do this, the tower creates the conditions for entering equipment. In the standard configuration, loading and unloading is performed through special hatches, which can be provided in the walls and roof. In addition, each hatch has special protection against external damage and insulation materials. Significant differences that a modern silo has are a high level of mechanization. Manufacturers routinely or optionally implement automatic means of carrying out work operations, supplementing the towers with multi-level control systems.
Additional equipment
Often the inclusion of additional equipment in the design is about 30-40% of the base cost of the tower. This is explained by the use of high-tech equipment, which improves the quality of feed and grain crops. The most common additional security features include a ventilation system, staircases, dispensers and lightning protection of the feed silo, which prevents fires and accidents. Indicating devices are also being introduced. For example, sensors showing the level of feed filling are widespread. And this is not to mention the traditional measuring devices by which attendants can cope with the humidity and temperature indicators inside the tower.
Conclusion
The structures for the vertical organization of silage feed were a continuation of the concept of trenches and pits, acting as the same repositories, but at a primitive level. However, in terms of efficiency, horizontal methods of keeping feed are not inferior to towers. Proper organization of storage of freshly cut grass in the trench also allows you to get the optimal feed product in terms of characteristics. But the silo wins the previous storage methods due to the convenience of maintenance, high technology and functionality. Of course, she has her own drawbacks. First of all, it is cash costs. The average construction characteristics are about 200-300 thousand rubles. Another drawback is the need for technical support of the tower itself in order to maintain its operational properties.