Without a doubt, you need to provide good quality drinking water for all your livestock. Doing so makes the animals healthy and stress-free, which, in turn, increases the profitability of your farming business.
Think of a well-watered cow. You’ll get enough milk from it, and that means good profits from milk sales.
Whether your herd size is small or big, you need proper planning and the right equipment in order to adequately satisfy your livestock’s watering needs.
Here are five livestock watering solutions for your consideration:
Waterers
In choosing the best waterer for your livestock, you need to ensure that:
- The bowl size is adequate for the animal in question. For instance, cows require a larger bowl size than goats.
- It can be easily cleaned. The simpler the body structure and fittings, the better. You don’t have to spend more than three minutes cleaning a livestock waterer.
- It has rounded edges. Waterers with sharp edges can easily injure animals.
- It’s made of the right material. Plastic waterers are usually budget-friendly and can last long if well-constructed. Metal waterers are relatively more expensive but very durable.
- The design prevents the animals from unnecessarily dirtying the water.
In case the weather around your farm gets unbearably cold, you may need a heated waterer. Such waterers ensure your animals don’t shy from drinking water because of the low temperatures.
For more details on livestock waterers and the available options, you may visit this page.
Storage Tanks
On top of the water, you need a water tank to store enough water for your livestock at all times.
Did you know that dairy cattle need not less than three liters of water to produce one liter of milk? So, if your cow produces 40 liters of milk daily, it needs to drink about 120 liters of water.
Assume you have 10 such cows—you need to give them at least 1,200 liters of water on a daily basis. And, to be on the safe side, your tank needs to hold enough water to last the animals a couple of days or even months in case you get into a water crisis. Therefore, install a tank big enough to meet your specific watering needs.
Aside from the size of the tank, it’s good to ensure that the tank is constructed using the right materials. Steel tanks are popular due to their cost-effectiveness and ease of installation. If durability is your main concern, go for fiberglass water tanks. Otherwise, if you’re on a tight budget, consider plastic tanks.
Water Pumps
What is the source of water for your livestock? If you have a reliable tap water supply to your farm, well and good. But, if you depend on a nearby stream or underground well for water, you’ll need a water pump to transfer water from the source to the storage tanks.
You may go for:
- A highly efficient water pump that wastes no energy
- A water pump with enough speed to reduce the time you have to wait for the storage tank to get filled
- A water pump with enough pressure and head to be able to lift water from the source to the tank
- A high-power pump that can pump water as long as you need to
Solar Systems
With solar energy being in unlimited and free supply all year round, it’d be wise to install a solar pump. You need a reliable solar power contractor to design the solar system for you to adequately meet your pumping needs.
They should be able to specify the number of solar panels needed and the power rating of each, as well as advise you on the best installation location.
Having a solar pump saves you money as you’ll no longer have to pay for electricity to pump water for your animals. You’ll also love the maintenance-free nature of solar panels.
HDPE Pipe Systems
It may happen that the source of water you depend on for watering your livestock is a bit far from your storage tanks. And, given that farms are generally a physically demanding environment, you need a special piping system to ensure that water always reaches your tanks.
The high-density polyethylene (HDPE) pipes are the best in such scenarios. You may need an expert to lay the pipes underground and join the pieces together.
Wrapping It Up
The kind of livestock watering solutions you choose must depend on the type of animals you rear, the size of your herd, and your main source of water. It’s important to choose a combination of equipment that adequately meets the watering needs of your animals.