Removing Silage?

DaveNay · Feb 14, 2004

The farm we bought almost a year ago is a former dairy operation. As such, it has a silo that is about 15' in diameter, with about 12'-15' of old rotting silage remaining in the bottom. There are dark stains around the silo from where the fermented silage "liquor" (my term) has seeped out....the roof of the silo is gone. As we are building a horse operation, we want to prevent any illness to the horses that may come from various molds/fungus, etc that may be growing in the silage. My question is...what is the best way to remove this rotting pile? /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif I am well aware of the dangers of inexperienced people working in silos, and therefore I would much prefer to spend the money to have the silo cleaned. We cannot knock down the silo due to other buildings (the silo actually is inside the barn, and goes through the roof), plus we have future plans for the silo, as it is is a poured cement structure in what appears to be great condition....we are planning an observation room at the top with a spiral staircase.

Any comments or suggestions are appreciated.

Thanks,
Dave Nay

spencer200 · Feb 14, 2004

Pitch fork and wheel barrow! at this point if the pile is just rotten you dont have to worry about silo gases like when it is first fermenting. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Glenn9643 · Feb 14, 2004

Don't know if you're a gardener, but that old silage sounds like a great start or addition to a compost pile to me!

wroughtn_harv · Feb 14, 2004

If I did my math right that's about eighty cubic yards to be disposed of. /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif

Eight dual tandem dump truck loads to the dump, ouch! I'd bet you're looking at three grand or better if you don't mind a trail of liquid from the silo to the highway etc.

It might pay to talk to an expert on toxic substances for the horses and then decide whether it could be disposed of on the property safely.

My long passed grandpa used to get a smile on his face when he'd tell us about the hazards of shoveling silage. It seems a tin cup was a necessity. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

thcri · Feb 14, 2004

I guess I would go with hiring it out. As you dig down in that stuff even though it has been there for years you will find it wetter than you think and maybe even more toxic than you think. If you plan on doing it yourself I would make sure you have proper mask on. When done, it would not hurt to spray everything down with a hi-lex of some sort.

Good Luck in what ever you do.

murph

Taylortractornut · Feb 14, 2004

I wished you lived closer id hav Both my back hoes my dump truck and a friends hauling that stuff out to our gardens. or the compost pile. Is it abottom unload silo with a door to funn a feadlot bucket into it. If it is then id hare a local nursery to come take it off.
I could bring my neighbors horses over they will eat anything. I hauled him some hay a friend gave him that was last years cow hay and had sat out side from a year ago. the mauled it down not a one got sick.

DaveNay · Feb 15, 2004

You'd have to bring a brigade of wheel barrows and workers too....leave the back hoes at home though, there is no access to the inside of the silo except for a series of small hatch ways. You'd have to climb inside, and then shovel it out by hand. There is some old equipment in there too, and it looks like the silage was taken out from the top of the silo.

Dave

Deerlope · Feb 15, 2004

That old equipment in the silo is probably a worn out silo unloader. I can tell you with certainty that it was not unloaded from the top. If the roof is off and the small hatch like doors are open any gas from the frementation is likely gone.

DaveNay · Feb 15, 2004

Here's a picture at the base of the silo. The old silage is up to a little above the level of the third hatchway, which is up inside the ladder/unloading chute.

There are also more pictures here. showing the series of unloading hatches, the whole base of the silo and the dangling equipment (which is undoubtedly the unloading auger).

Dave

Glenn9643 · Feb 15, 2004

What is the texture of the rotting silage? One of the pictures looks to me like an auger that may have been used to move the silage from a wagon into the silo. If so, there may be a farmer in the area that can help you clear it out. In this area most grain farmers use "portable" augers to load corn into dryers, bins, etc. If this could be done, you might could find a neighbor that could use some winter work who has the necessary equipment to move the silage. If it would work it would save a LOT of shoveling.