"Deal with a reputable firm that has been in business for a long time and has certain standards they go by."Ĭontact: FARM SHOW Followup, Frank Possessky, Penn Jersey Products, Inc., P.O. "Know what brand is being offered and check the staves over," says Gorgenson. He says Madison is a very good brand, but it should never be put under ground. In his area, he says his own Midwest brand is pretty good, as are Rochester brand staves, although as they get older, they can get weaker. How they are put up can affect the integrity of the structure and its ability to unload."īrand can make a big difference in stave silos, advises Gorgenson. A lot of guys have been misled on used structures. "Once the concrete is poured, you can't fix it. "Both the concentricity of the structure, that is the circle, and the level floor are measured in hundredths of an inch," says Possessky. "They were not designed to be used that way."Įven putting up a used Harvestore for its traditional bottom unloader use can be tricky, he says. "Some guys are using them as conventional silos, putting holes in them and top unloaders," warns Possessky. And be sure you get paid for the structure before they turn a single bolt."īuying a used silo can be equally tricky, especially if it's a Harvestore, he adds. "If you have a guy working on your farm without worker's compensation and one of his employees gets hurt, you are actually liable. "Insist on seeing a certificate of insurance from whoever you are doing business with," says Possessky. "The biggest concern is insurance, both liability and workers comp," says Gorgenson. Government regulations on manure storage are driving more livestock operators to above-ground seasonal storage.īoth men warn farmers to be very careful should they find a buyer for a silo of any kind. Size is equally important for Slurrystores, though the market is much better than for silos. Penn Jersey will pay $5,000 to $10,000 for a silo with loader, depending on size, condition and location. There is very little demand for smaller ones." "The demand in silos new and used is for 20 by 80-ft. Now it's 100 head and more," he points out. "Years ago, the average dairy herd was 50 to 60. Frank Possessky is the president of Penn Jersey Products, the largest independent Harvestore dealer in North America. Size is important with used Harvestore silos, too. He also stresses that they have to be 16 by 60-ft. "They have to be very clean, not coated in rust or with a rusty roof."īuyers of used silos want them to look new, he points out. "We're hardly paying anything for cement stave silos unless they are in exceptionally good condition," says Fred Gorgenson, co-owner of Midwest Silo. We found out that getting a good price is tough. We decided to find out what an old silo is worth. Grain bins are commonly found on grain farms or at elevators, whereas silos are at farms with cattle.That's an ad we spotted recently in the back of a farm publication. Their tops are usually dome-shaped, and they tend to be narrower and taller than grain bins. Silos are also cylindrical, but are commonly made of concrete, bricks, metal, and sometimes even wood. They are vented, silver, corrugated steel structures fatter in diameter than silos and have varying heights. Grain bins are metal cylinders with peaked metal roofs that typically have staircases or ladders on the outside. These two structures also look very different. Silos traditionally store silage, which is grass or other fodder harvested green and wet, primarily to feed dairy cattle. Grain bins generally store dry corn and soybeans, which meet domestic or export market demand for feed, food and fuel use. These two structures are can be commonly mistaken, however, they each serve a different purpose. Is that a bin, or is that a silo? What’s the difference?
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