CALF_News_December_2019_January_2020

40 CALF News • December 2019 | January 2020 • www.calfnews.net W hether ranchers and farm- ers are raising cattle, bison, horses, sheep or other live- stock, reliably providing fresh water is a necessity throughout the year, but a particular challenge during winter when standing water sources can ice over. With beef cattle and other livestock, lower water consumption can slow growth and compromise health; and in dairy cows or cows with calves, it reduces milk production. Traditional livestock watering options, however, have serious limitations. Ponds and lakes are often in the wrong loca- tions for convenient livestock hydration, may not be sufficiently clean, or may be prone to icing up in winter. Portable tanks usually must be filled daily and can be easily knocked over or damaged by bulls or other large animals pressing, pushing, or rubbing on them. Waterers that rely on electric heaters to deter ice may be infeasible in locations far from the nearest electrical source. Fortunately, there are some innovative automatic “open water” systems that pro- vide livestock with a reliable, trouble-free watering source that will not freeze the valve and plumbing in sub-zero tempera- tures, even with low to no animal traffic. Such partially buried systems keep fresh water open, uncovered and readily available to livestock, and rely on natural ground heat making electrical heating devices unnecessary. These surprisingly durable designs prevent water valves and plumbing from freezing while provid- ing the owner easy, wide-open access as needed by simply removing the water tub. Providing Water at -50° F Dustin Fischer, his wife and in-laws own and operate a cow-calf facility with 200 head of cattle in Clear Lake, Minn. To provide fresh water even during bitter cold winters, the operation uses both automatic waterers that utilize electric heaters and automatic open water live- stock waterers from Cobett, an American manufacturer of farmer-designed, earth-heated waterers. The automatic livestock waterers are open water so ani- mals do not have to manipu- late anything in order to drink fresh water.“The open water system is natural, like drink- ing out of a pond, so the cattle know how to use them right away,” Fischer says. Because the system is an earth-heated, partially buried system with essentially just a tough tub of water above ground, electric heat is not required for valve or plumbing protection. The system fully utilizes a wide column of ground heat by placing the tub inside the ground heat chamber – not just above it – so the entire tub of water is constantly and directly warmed or cooled by the surrounding underground temperatures. “We dealt with -50° F wind chill temperatures last winter, and none of my Cobett waterers froze up during the day when the cattle drink,” Fischer says. “I just had to break the ice off the top and they were open the rest of the day. Because they require no electricity, they save us about $50-$60 per waterer each month in energy costs, so the savings add up.” Fischer installed the open water sys- tems himself, and says that the process is simple. “They are really easy to install,” he says.“You don’t need an electrician to come in and do the wiring, and there is no concrete pad.” New Product By Del Williams Contributing Editor ‘Open Water’ Automatic Livestock Waterers Another Option for Producers Installation is typically a half-day, four-step process: Dig a hole; set unit in the hole; refill the hole with dirt; and then lay 12 inches of gravel on top of the ground before use. Unlike typical waterers that have a narrow access hole for repair work, Cobett’s open water system has an auto- matic unit lifting the water container out, leaving a wide hole with easy access to the valve and plumbing. Additionally, the design makes it easy to utilize the waterer’s plumbing as a water supply line for other uses. While farmers are familiar with portable water tanks and automatic waterers with electric heaters, in the long run automatic open water systems that use the heat of the earth to keep water readily available for livestock during winter may be the most reliable and cost- effective solution of all.  For more information, call (888) 699-4722; visit www.cobett.com