Rolling Roof Protects Bunker Silo

Rolling Roof Protects Bunker Silo CROP STORAGE Silos (50) 15-5-15 "It was a lot cheaper than covering the entire bunk with a roof," says John Van Esch, Chilliwack, B.C., about the rolling roof he put over his bunker silo to keep the exposed silage dry along with the cows who feed directly from the bunker. "My Dad and I got the idea because we're in a rainy area and it wasn't much fun working in the bunk in the rain and cows didn't like the wet feed. We didn't want to build walls and a roof, which would have been too costly to justify. "The 40-ft. span roof consists of 4 trusses - for a width of 16 ft. - that ride on railroad rails mounted on top of the bunk's cement walls. The trusses ride on wheels - two on each side. I also made a clamps for each side that grab the rails - the more pressure applied to the room, the tighter they hang on. In three years of use, the roof has always stayed put, even in 60 mph winds." To fill the silo, Van Esch rolls the roof to the front and fills the back first. Then he rolls the roof to the back, and fills the front. He covers the silage tightly with plastic and tires (which he slices in half so they won't fill with water and can be stacked easier). Cows feed directly from the stack through a stock panel that moves along with the roof. "The roof does a great job. Cows are out there feeding even in pouring rain. I've never seen anything like it anywhere," says Van Esch. Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, John Van Esch, 8905 Upper Prairie, Chilliwack, B.C. V2P 6H4 Canada (ph 604 794-3222).

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