getting water to cows in winter

[Anonymous]

Just wondering what everyone does to get water into their barn in the winter (or all the time for that matter). I do not have running water in my barn. I only have a handful of cattle and I carry buckets to them day and night. Well, this year I will have too many animals to do this, and my back is showing wear. What is the most economical way to get water to my barn (barn is 50 ft. from house) so that I can use it summer and winter? Any ideas about a hand pump on a drilled well? If I run a line from the house, can I use it in the winter? Thanks so much! Rose

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[Anonymous]

> Just wondering what everyone does
> to get water into their barn in
> the winter (or all the time for
> that matter). I do not have
> running water in my barn. I only
> have a handful of cattle and I
> carry buckets to them day and
> night. Well, this year I will have
> too many animals to do this, and
> my back is showing wear. What is
> the most economical way to get
> water to my barn (barn is 50 ft.
> from house) so that I can use it
> summer and winter? Any ideas about
> a hand pump on a drilled well? If
> I run a line from the house, can I
> use it in the winter? Thanks so
> much! Rose

Drilling a well can be a very expensive cost for only a few cattle, but then if you are on city or a town's water and are paying by the gallon the well will be worth it. If you already have a well you will just have to hook into an existing line somewhere close by (probably the house from what I understand). The line needs to be buried below frost line (4 to 6ft) and run to the barn. In the barn you will need to install a livestock waterer. Most waterers (like Richie Fountains) have or are capable of adding a heat element to keep them thawed in the winter. Of coarse you need electricity in the barn to do this. Most of this will have to be hired done, such as the trenching to the barn. If you don't mind carrying water just in the winter weeks just buy a waterer and mount it on a small cement pad. Run a garden hose from the house to it and just disconect it during the winter. This would be your cheapest way to go. Whatever you do you better start looking at and pricing waterers, it will be worth it. Carrying water for just one cow is bad enough, good luck!

 

[Anonymous]

> Just wondering what everyone does
> to get water into their barn in
> the winter (or all the time for
> that matter). I do not have
> running water in my barn. I only
> have a handful of cattle and I
> carry buckets to them day and
> night. Well, this year I will have
> too many animals to do this, and
> my back is showing wear. What is
> the most economical way to get
> water to my barn (barn is 50 ft.
> from house) so that I can use it
> summer and winter? Any ideas about
> a hand pump on a drilled well? If
> I run a line from the house, can I
> use it in the winter? Thanks so
> much! Rose

It should be pretty inexpensive to run underground line to the barn. But of course I'm in SE Texas where we seldom get below 32 degrees so maybe it would be more expensive where you are. In the mean time, if your barn is only 50 feet from the house and you are currently carrying water to the barn in buckets why don't you just buy a few sections of garden hose instead of all that carrying? Or buy yourself a large wagon (like kids used to play with in the olden days) in which to put your full buckets. It's a lot easier to pull a wagon than it is to tote 5 gallon buckets yourself!

**** Note to anybody reading this: I have tried (so far without success) to get Cattle Today to make a useful addition to their "name, email and subject" section --- which is to provide a space to allow the poster to indicate his or her geographical location. I think the location sure would be usful information to readers that want to respond to the question --- don't ya'll think so? What is good, bad, common, etc. for south Texas could many times be different than what's good, etc. for western Canada, New England, the midwest, etc.

 

[Anonymous]

> Drilling a well can be a very
> expensive cost for only a few
> cattle, but then if you are on
> city or a town's water and are
> paying by the gallon the well will
> be worth it. If you already have a
> well you will just have to hook
> into an existing line somewhere
> close by (probably the house from
> what I understand). The line needs
> to be buried below frost line (4
> to 6ft) and run to the barn. In
> the barn you will need to install
> a livestock waterer. Most waterers
> (like Richie Fountains) have or
> are capable of adding a heat
> element to keep them thawed in the
> winter. Of coarse you need
> electricity in the barn to do
> this. Most of this will have to be
> hired done, such as the trenching
> to the barn. If you don't mind
> carrying water just in the winter
> weeks just buy a waterer and mount
> it on a small cement pad. Run a
> garden hose from the house to it
> and just disconect it during the
> winter. This would be your
> cheapest way to go. Whatever you
> do you better start looking at and
> pricing waterers, it will be worth
> it. Carrying water for just one
> cow is bad enough, good luck!

If I put cows up in my corral I have to put water in it for them. I run about ten water hoses from the house. In the cold weather you can unhook the hose from your house hydrant and walk the length of your hose raising it as you walk. This should allow the water to run out one end or the other to keep it from freezing. You may have to disconnect each hose from the other to do this, but it will still be easier on the back.

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[Anonymous]

> It should be pretty inexpensive to
> run underground line to the barn.
> But of course I'm in SE Texas
> where we seldom get below 32
> degrees so maybe it would be more
> expensive where you are. In the
> mean time, if your barn is only 50
> feet from the house and you are
> currently carrying water to the
> barn in buckets why don't you just
> buy a few sections of garden hose
> instead of all that carrying? Or
> buy yourself a large wagon (like
> kids used to play with in the
> olden days) in which to put your
> full buckets. It's a lot easier to
> pull a wagon than it is to tote 5
> gallon buckets yourself!

> **** Note to anybody reading this:
> I have tried (so far without
> success) to get Cattle Today to
> make a useful addition to their
> "name, email and
> subject" section --- which is
> to provide a space to allow the
> poster to indicate his or her
> geographical location. I think the
> location sure would be usful
> information to readers that want
> to respond to the question ---
> don't ya'll think so? What is
> good, bad, common, etc. for south
> Texas could many times be
> different than what's good, etc.
> for western Canada, New England,
> the midwest, etc. I think that would be a great idea.

[email protected]

 

[Anonymous]

I have water lines and hydrants all over the place, but I end up with animals housed away from them. I use a hose and drain it as suggested (walk it, holding it over my head). Automatic waterers are very nice, but I doubt it's feasible if you only have a few cows. They can be expensive to buy, expensive to run. The low energy models need more livestock drinking in order to work properly. Mine are rated for 150 head, but I have about half that on each of them.

 

[Anonymous]

It's not that hard to run waterline. call a trenching service, price out the cheapest(runs $1/ft around here for an open trench). black plastic in the trench from the home center and about that much more money in fittings and frostproof hydrant. Fill the trench in with a shovel in the time you would normaly use carrying water. Use empty protien tubs for the trough . I like arnold's idea some of the other boards use them. We could do it volintarily jls, OH.

 

[Anonymous]

> It's not that hard to run
> waterline. call a trenching
> service, price out the
> cheapest(runs $1/ft around here
> for an open trench). black plastic
> in the trench from the home center
> and about that much more money in
> fittings and frostproof hydrant.
> Fill the trench in with a shovel
> in the time you would normaly use
> carrying water. Use empty protien
> tubs for the trough . I like
> arnold's idea some of the other
> boards use them. We could do it
> volintarily jls, OH.

If I might add. You can rent a trencher at your local rental for all day or half day rate. Chances are one of your neighbor needs a trench for something and will go in with you to split the cost.