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Grain Leg Key To Silo Grain Storage
You can convert unused silos into an efficient grain storage facility by setting up a conventional grain leg, says Mike Macho of Ag Services, Stewartville, Minn. He has helped several customers put their old silos back to work.
"The leg preserves kernel quality and provides efficiency that you don't get w
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Grain Leg Key To Silo Grain Storage
SILOS Silos 26-2-43 You can convert unused silos into an efficient grain storage facility by setting up a conventional grain leg, says Mike Macho of Ag Services, Stewartville, Minn. He has helped several customers put their old silos back to work.
"The leg preserves kernel quality and provides efficiency that you don't get with an auger or blower," says Macho.
Stave silos require a few added modifications, such as aeration and regular monitoring, when grain is going to be stored for an extended period. Air tight Harvestores may get by with regular monitoring and careful placement of the loading spout and unloading auger.
"Silos need to be filled from the center and unloaded from the center," warns Macho.
"Silos are strong enough to hold just anything if you put it in and take it out evenly."
Macho advises cutting holes at the bottom of stave silos to insert aeration tubes. When the silo cap is properly vented, a tube at the bottom should provide sufficient air movement to protect grain. You could also put in an aeration floor but Macho feels tubes work better.
Schoenfelder Farms, Rochester, Minn., didn't need extra aeration in their grain storage silos because of high turnover of the stored grain. They ran grain legs to two stave and two Harvestore silos. Corn is brought in once or twice a month from their bulk grain storage facility seven or eight miles away.
"The silos give us storage for about three weeks to a month of feed," says Kenny Schoenfelder. "We could probably bring corn in a semi load at a time, but this way we don't have to bring it in during the busy spring and fall seasons."
One Harvestore holds cracked corn, while the other three hold whole kernel corn ready for ration grinding. Not only do the grain legs preserve quality, but they are fast and efficient, says Schoenfelder.
Macho suggests farmers interested in fitting silos with grain legs contact an ag services firm in their area that installs commercial grain legs.
Contact: FARM SHOW Follow-up: Mike Macho, Ag Services, 218 2nd Ave., Stewartville, Minn. 55976 (ph 507 533-6230).
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