Gd 3 NiSi 2 annealed sample has been investigated by magnetization, electrical resistivity and specific heat measurements. This study reveals its ferromagnetic behavior below T C =215K; only the gadolinium carries a magnetic moment with a saturation magnetization of 7.19μ B /Gdmol. Gd 3 NiSi 2 exhibits a magnetocaloric effect higher in magnetic entropy change than the one recently reported for Gd 6 Ni 5/3 Si 3 . This ternary silicide can be obtained as metallic ribbons where the structural disordering modifies strongly its magnetocaloric properties.