Silage Clamp Size Calculator
Size a silage clamp from herd numbers, daily feed rate, storage days, packed density, dry matter, target face removal, and maximum wall height.
| Step | Value | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Daily demand | - | Mass removed from clamp each day |
| Wall height | Floor width | Clamp length | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|
| - | - | - | Run calculator |
| Silage type | Typical density | Typical DM | Design note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Corn silage, well packed | 42-48 lb/ft3 | 32-38% | Good clamp density target |
| Grass silage, moderate pack | 36-44 lb/ft3 | 28-38% | Watch face heating in warm weather |
| High DM corn silage | 34-42 lb/ft3 | 38-45% | Needs more volume per ton |
| Small grain silage | 38-46 lb/ft3 | 30-40% | Check chop length and packing time |
| Weather or feed-out case | US target | Metric target | Planning use |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cool season, stable silage | 4-6 in/day | 10-15 cm/day | Minimum for many well-managed clamps |
| Normal dairy feed-out | 6-9 in/day | 15-23 cm/day | Practical year-round design range |
| Warm weather or wide face | 9-12 in/day | 23-30 cm/day | Use when heating risk is higher |
| High risk face | 12+ in/day | 30+ cm/day | Useful for small clamps or very wet faces |
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In planning a silage clamp, there are many different variables that must be considered in relation to the dimension of the silage clamp, as those dimension will determine both how much feed can be stored in the clamp and how much feed can be use each day. If the silage clamp is too small, there will not be enough feed to supply the herd. If the silage clamp is too large, there will be issue with spoilage and heating of the silage in the clamp.
An appropriately planned silage clamp will allow for the silage to remain stable and to be fed at a consistent rate to the herd. To calculate the size of the silage clamp, several different input must first be identified. The size of the herd and the amount of feed that each animal in the herd require will help determine the total amount of feed that will be required by the herd each day.
How to Plan a Silage Clamp
The number of days that the silage is to be stored will help to indicate how much silage will need to be stored in the clamp. The density of the silage will help to determine how much volume the silage will occupy within the silage clamp. The dry matter percentage of the silage will allow for the silage to be compare to other type of crops that may be grown and stored in the clamp.
Additionally, the face removal rate will help to determine how quickly the silage face will be removed from the clamp, and the maximum height of the silage clamp walls will help to determine the maximum height of the silage within the clamp. Other factor to consider include the width policy of the silage clamp, the slope of the sidewalls, the amount of shrink that will occur in the silage clamp, and the amount of space that will be required to remove the silage from the clamp. Each of these different variable must be considered in relation to the others.
For instance, the density of the silage will impact the size of the silage clamp that is required for storage; higher density of silage will allow for the silage clamp to be shorter in length. Additionally, the face removal rate will also impact the dimensions of the silage clamp; faster removal of the silage from the clamp will allow for the silage clamp to be wider or taller to allow for the silage to be remove at that fast rate. Finally, the loss allowance for the silage clamp will also impact its size; a higher loss allowance will require more silage to be stored in the clamp to account for the silage that will be lost during the clamping process.
The face removal rate for the silage clamp is one of the most critical factor to consider in the planning of the silage clamp. If the silage is exposed to air at the face of the silage clamp, the silage will begin to warm; if the silage begins to warm, the silage will begin to spoil. Therefore, the face removal rate must be fast enough to ensure that the silage is removed from the clamp prior to the silage spoils.
If the silage spoils, the silage will be wasted. The density of the silage is another of the main variable that will change in relation to the type of crop that is use and the way in which it is pack. Silage made from corn can be packed to be more dense than silage made from grass, for instance.
Additionally, using more weight when packing the silage will increase the density; using thinner layer of silage will increase the density of the silage clamp. Using incorrect value for density will lead to the creation of an incorrectly-sized silage clamp. The height of the wall in the silage clamp will also have an impact upon its design.
Using taller wall will allow for the silage clamp to be shorter in length, but taller walls will place more weight upon the sidewalls of the clamp. Additionally, if the silage clamp is constructed with taller walls, it may have a narrower floor in which to load the silage, which can present difficulty for the loader. Finally, the site at which the silage clamp is to be built must be considered.
Drainage channel at the site, for instance, will take up space for the silage clamp, and the size of lane for traffic to move around the silage clamp will also impact the size of the silage clamp that can be built. While the silage clamp calculator can determine the size of the silage clamp required to provide feed for the herd, those variable must be adjusted according to the feature of the site. In planning the silage clamp, several of the variable can be adjusted.
For instance, if the feed-out speed from the silage clamp can be increased, the size of the silage clamp can be reduced. Additionally, if the density of the silage within the clamp is increased, the size of the silage clamp can be reduced. Finally, if the number of day that the silage clamp must store silage can be reduced, the size of the silage clamp can be reduced.
The silage clamp calculator can be used to determine which adjustment will have the greatest impact upon the size of the silage clamp. A successful silage clamp will provide enough feed for the herd, will have an appropriate rate of removal of the silage from the clamp, and will remain within the limit of the strength of the walls of the silage clamp. You should of considered all these things to make sure the clamps size is correct.
