Ballance urea silos are a convenient way to store urea on the farm. Waterproof and easy to use, they allow you to access urea on an as-needed basis. Ballance urea silos are constructed from durable polyethylene and are mounted on a concrete pad. Building consent must be sought for the silo and pad. Urea is delivered to the silos in 12 tonne lots in a standard tipper truck fitted with a power take off-driven blower system and air lock.
A secure, on-farm supply of urea offers flexibility when planning feed programmes; potential feed shortages can be addressed without waiting for a urea delivery. Having an on-farm supply of urea also gives operators more freedom to apply nitrogen under optimal conditions, so minimising losses through volatilisation and leaching. With a capacity of 14 tonnes of urea, Ballance urea silos hold sufficient urea to fertilise approximately 130 hectares at a rate of 50 kg N/ha.
| Capacity | 14 tonnes urea |
| Height | 7.3 metres |
| Foundation dimension | 4.2 metres x 3.4 metres |
| Delivery volume | 12 tonnes urea |
Urea is a naturally hygroscopic product, which readily absorbs moisture from the atmosphere. Although Ballance urea silos are watertight, they are not - for practical purposes - completely airtight. This means that when air humidity is high, there is a chance of this moisture reacting with the urea, notably at the base of the silo around the discharge valve. In addition, pressure within the silo from the weight of the product can cause lumps to form. Initially these lumps are soft and can be easily broken by gently tapping around the conical base of the silo with a soft-faced hammer. After approximately four weeks, though, the lumps will get harder to break up. To avoid problems with the product setting up, Ballance recommends that urea is taken from the silo on a fortnightly basis, with all the product in the silo being used within three months. Severe air humidity may reduce the time product can be stored in a urea silo. For further advice, see your Ballance technical sales representative.
