For some ranchers a good pond, according to University of Missouri Extension southwest region livestock specialist Eldon Cole, “is as good as they would need.” But with many producers rotating cattle to different pastures, Cole told Ozarks Farm & Neighbor, “you can’t just pick that pond up and move it.”
Cole said University research shows the performance of cattle and distribution of their manure are improved if they don’t have to walk more than 800’ to water. “But that isn’t always practical,” he said. That’s where a system that pipes water to different fields comes in handy.
Cole’s colleague in Dallas County, Missouri Extension livestock specialist Andrew McCorkill, said there are several types and brands of waterers. Frost-free waterers, which are typically set in place and intended to be permanent, are the best alternative for maintaining year round grazing. McCorkill told OFN, “Some have an underground heat well to draw from the warmth of the soil below, while others have some sort of system to keep a trickle of water moving at all times.” Still others do both, and several manufacturers make various types of frost-free waterers out of either plastic or concrete. Some waterers are made on the farm out of culverts, large diameter pipe or recycled tires.
For more flexible grazing through the spring and summer months, McCorkill said producers might consider a more portable option. “Systems with above ground waterlines can easily be tapped into and moved from place to place,” he said. “You must be careful to provide a tank that is stable and has capacity to water the number of livestock you have.”
When deciding what type of waterer to get, one of the factors to consider is the source. The easiest to work with is a private well; a gravity flow system from a pond or spring may have a lower flow rate, so a waterer with a greater tank capacity is necessary. If the water is flowing uphill, you need an adequate pump. If you’re tapping into a public water source, you should keep in mind the cost of wasted water. “A frost free type of waterer that has an overflow system could be running unused water out on the ground,” McCorkill said.
Water needs change with ambient conditions; McCorkill said while a lactating beef cow needs 12-20 gallons of water a day when it’s 50 degrees, that rises to 25-35 gallons at 90 degrees. “Many manufactured waterers are designed for larger classes of livestock,” he said. “They may be too tall for smaller animals such as sheep and goats, swine, and even smaller horses and calves.” If a waterer is placed too low to the ground with too large of an opening, it can pose a drowning risk to baby calves.
McCorkill said it will probably be necessary to place more gravel around permanent waterers from time to time to keep the mud from getting too deep. He recommended installing plenty of shut off valves when putting in the waterlines. “This will enable you to shut off an individual waterer for maintenance and repairs, without disabling the water for the entire grazing system,” he said. “In addition, it will also allow you to shut off water in certain areas if they are not going to be grazed for an extended period of time.” He also suggested having a plan to get water to livestock in the event of a power outage or a dry pond or spring.
