Feed handling
Feed Silos & Storage
On-farm feed silos store bulk feed delivered by truck between feed-mill dispatch and in-house feed lines. Capacity sizing balances truck economics, storage cost and feed freshness.
Supplier-neutral educational content. HatchMatch does not rank suppliers.
Role within the project
Silo capacity per house is usually 1.5–3× the largest truck load, ensuring one delivery serves at least a week of consumption while feed remains fresh.
Typical applications
- On-farm bulk feed storage
- Feed-mill inbound raw-material silos
- Buffer silos between feed-mill sections
Selection criteria
- Hopper angle appropriate to feed flowability
- Weatherproofing, condensation-control liner
- Load-in and load-out mechanisation
- Access for cleaning and inspection
Engineering considerations
- Hopper angle typically 60–67° for mash and pellet
- Foundation load — full-silo weight + wind + seismic
- Silo weighing option — weekly feed reconciliation
- Ladder, cage and platform to top hatch for inspection
Commercial considerations
- Per-tonne CAPEX comparison across suppliers
- Warranty on coating and structural steel
- Optional weighing kit
Procurement considerations
- Feed flowability tested for hopper angle
- Foundation designed for silo full load
- Weighing kit specified in RFQ if reconciliation is required
Common mistakes
- Hopper angle too flat — bridging and rat-holing
- Under-sized foundation — silo tilt over time
- No inspection access — feed staleness undetected
- Silo colour absorbs heat — feed quality degrades in hot climates
Ask suppliers
Ask for hopper-angle recommendation for your feed formulation and a foundation design load specification.
Related resources
Frequently asked
How many silos per house?
Two per house is the commercial minimum — rotating between them ensures no stale feed and allows cleaning without shutting down feeding. Larger farms often add a bulk-store silo for buffer.
What silo capacity should I install?
For a 25,000-bird broiler house running through a full flock, 25–35 tonnes total silo capacity per house is a good starting point. Confirm with the feed consumption calculator.