How wide is too wide??

[Chimera]

Evening all, just on with planning for a new clamp. What widths are people using for what number of cows?
Currently have 350ish cows, and was wondering could I go to 60 or 80 foot wide? Or is that just being daft? Shear grab into diet feeder job. Obviously 2 narrower pits would be preferable, but just looking to minimise initial outlay, could split with freestanding panels in the future if it was a massive problem.

Ta

 

[Mc115reed]

Youv got to work out what you use daily really and multiply... ideally youv got to do a lap of the face in 7 days or you’ll start to get waste... there’s probably a fancy study somewhere

 

[pappuller]

How many cuts ? Different types of forage ? Are you feeding all year round ?

 

[Scholsey]

Youv got to work out what you use daily really and multiply... ideally youv got to do a lap of the face in 7 days or you’ll start to get waste... there’s probably a fancy study somewhere

Agree, think 7 days is fine aslong as you keep the face tidy, have it so you can open from either end if that’s possible.

 

[Chimera]

How many cuts ? Different types of forage ? Are you feeding all year round ?

All grass 3 maybe 4 cuts, would probably just layer cuts in a wide pit. Autumn block, housed for best part of 6 months??

 

[yin ewe]

I'd think 80 feet would be fine with that number of cows, height would also come into it, obviously if the silage is 10 foot high you'll work you're way across the face faster than if it's 20 foot. Make sure it's big enough to feed 450 cows as you will more than likely need it in a couple of years!!

 

[yin ewe]

At least at 80 foot you could split it at a later date with portable walls and still have a fairly decent width of a clamp.

 

[Serup]

We aim at moving at least 2 meters forward per week in the summer and 1 meter in the winter.
I have 380 cows and my widest silo is 16 meters with 3 meter walls. It's about 5 meters tall in the middle. I only use it for maize as that's what we use most of. I don't want the face any bigger. My 12 meter siloes are easier to keep fresh.

 

[Chimera]

At least at 80 foot you could split it at a later date with portable walls and still have a fairly decent width of a clamp.

That's the way I was thinking

 

[Chimera]

We aim at moving at least 2 meters forward per week in the summer and 1 meter in the winter.
I have 380 cows and my widest silo is 16 meters with 3 meter walls. It's about 5 meters tall in the middle. I only use it for maize as that's what we use most of. I don't want the face any bigger. My 12 meter siloes are easier to keep fresh.

But would you have a grass clamp open at the same time as the maize?

 

[Serup]

That's the way I was thinking

But would you have a grass clamp open at the same time as the maize?

Yes.
If you fill the silo as much as you can - i know it's not usually the plan from the start, but it usually ends like that pretty fast - then a little wider gives a lot more room. My 16m silo holds about 60% more than my 12m does. I have 3m walls.
a 24m silo would hold a mountain of feed when filled up, and you would move forward very slow.