ANN 111: Principles of Animal Nutrition and Feed Technology (2+1)

PREPARATION OF SILO PIT

• Pit silos are the most commonly used silos in our country for ensilage. They require very little inputs/technology in their construction and preparation. The size of the pit silo depends on the farm area, fodder availability/ number of animals maintained. Preparation of the silo pit is an important procedure in silage making. Any lacunae in the preparatory steps may lead to large-scale spoilage and poor conservation. The steps involved in silo pit preparation are as follows.
  • A desired size pit is first dug out.
  • The pit should be preferably dug in an elevated area to avoid seepage of rainwater.
  • It should also be away from manure pit.
  • The inner sides and floor of the pit should be plastered using mud or cement.
  • There should not be any cracks or crevices in the silo pit.
  • If there are any, they should be suitably plastered.
  • The edges of the pit should be smooth.

Study Questions

• Draw a diagram of a pit silo.
• What are the other types of siloes. List out their advantages and disadvantages