Do growers still build new grain silos

[Devil's advocate]

On floor grain seems very popular, but silos offer advantages such as safe from vermin & er um

If you have silos how do you fill them, especially the large 250 ton plus ones.

Certainly more popular in North America.

 

[Shutesy]

@Daniel has just built one.

 

[nxy]

We put up 3 silos about 20 years ago to store the grain we use for cattle fattening and for seed. The largest would hold 100 tonnes of grain.

They are a pain to fill, we use a 9m long 125mm auger and its slow. They are then a pain to empty out completely afterwards There are however about the cheapest way there is to store grain and cost a fraction of what a shed with a drive over floor would have cost and that is about the only advantage they have.

80% of what we harvest goes to a cooperative store directly from the field, I would go mad if it all went into silos. We often work in such a way that every second or third trailer goes into the silo with rest going off to the co-op store.

 

[Northdowns Martin]

I think it’s a case of a shed can have many uses whereas a silo is just for grain regardless of its lower cost to construct.

 

[David.]

Of course, they have no corners in which to stack mouse harbouring "stuff" either.
There seems to be plenty of precedent for turning them into holiday lets when you retire, too.
Plenty to like, as long as you fit an airsweep floor, and buy at least a 6" auger to fill and empty it with. If you carry grain until May/June.
If you sell early the advantages are eroded by the fact that you don't get a building to park your kit in the dry the rest of the year.

 

[Daniel]

On floor grain seems very popular, but silos offer advantages such as safe from vermin & er um

If you have silos how do you fill them, especially the large 250 ton plus ones.

Certainly more popular in North America.

New grain silo build.

It occurred to me that I should stop sticking pictures of our silo build on @Woldgrain Storage excellent silo thread and start my own! Pics of the build of a 700ton Sukup drying and stirring bin to feed our poultry feed mill. Stirrers will be used to blend wheat/barley/rye etc together which...

thefarmingforum.co.uk

 

[Flat 10]

Tax advantages? Plant rather than Cap ex?

 

[oil barron]

Tax advantages? Plant rather than Cap ex?

There is precident to get on floor as Plant now as well.

 

[Farmer Roy]

Yes

 

[Farmer Roy]

 

[Steevo]

Never seen a lorry tip up on the back wheels like that before!!

 

[Farmer Roy]

Never seen a lorry tip up on the back wheels like that before!!

grain trailers ALL tip like that here, it keeps the tare weight down ( thus allowing maximum legal loads ) by not having a seperate chassis.
Of course, they are only really suited to tipping on level firm surfaces. For heavy duty construction / earthmoving work in “off road” applications, then chassis tippers are still the go ( but they are a lot heavier ).
But for carting grain, tare weight is ALL important, hence the popularity of the lighter aluminium TOA ( tip over axle ) type trailers

 

[Farmer Roy]

 

[steveR]

grain trailers ALL tip like that here, it keeps the tare weight down ( thus allowing maximum legal loads ) by not having a seperate chassis.
Of course, they are only really suited to tipping on level firm surfaces. For heavy duty construction / earthmoving work in “off road” applications, then chassis toppers are still the go. But for carting grain, tare weight is ALL important, hence the popularity of the aluminium TOA ( tip over axle ) type trailers

I wonder if they would be legal here in Blighty?

 

[Farmer Roy]

I wonder if they would be legal here in Blighty?

our transport / trucking industry here is VERY heavily regulated & policed . . .

 

[steveR]

our transport / trucking industry here is VERY heavily regulated & policed . . .

I realise that.

Just that we never see them here. Possibly not as versatile as the "with chassis" trucks?

 

[Flat 10]

I wonder if they are on air suspension?

 

[Pennine Ploughing]

I wonder if they would be legal here in Blighty?

Yes I have seen then in UK, not popular are not many, and yes there legal

 

[goodevans]

How much lighter tare would they be

 

[Pennine Ploughing]

About 800 kg lighter IIRC