Heated Water Sources Water should not be hot nor in the form of ice. Drink- able water is usually between 40 and 65 degrees F. Occasionally check waterers with heaters so as to detect a "runaway." Dip a thermometer into the water. Do not allow the thermometer to rest on the bottom. Touching the heated bottom of the pan can result in higher temperatures than actual water temperature. Check the temperature over several cold days. Water temperatures of at least 40 degrees F should minimize mechanical problems and maintain animal performance.
Adequate insulation can reduce problems with water freezing and reduce electric costs in cold winters. Make sure the insulation inside the waterer is still in good condition. Conserve heat by caulking the base of the automatic waterer and seal the access door with weather proof tape. Reducing the wind on the waterer by a windbreak can also reduce electric costs.
Additional external insulation may be added to some automatic waterers. Surround the external surface with two inches or more of styrofoam. Place one-half-inch plywood over styrofoam. Put galvanized steel on the top part of the styrofoam-plywood pieces and angle iron on the vertical edges. Wrap this external insulation with some one-eighth-inch cable to keep it in place.
Stray electric current in a self-heating trough can reduce water consumption and thus reduce feed intake. Shut off the electricity to automatic waterers and check the inside for rodent nests. Make sure the connections are dry, and there is a clean, tight ground.
Non-Heated Water Sources Place input spouts on the side of troughs and directed so that incoming water circulates. By encouraging water movement, there is less chance of freezing. One producer painted the southern exposure of his metal water troughs black (inside and outside) to absorb the day's heat, to keep the tank open during winter. The area around all permanent tanks should be graveled or otherwise treated to provide all-weather access.
Pipe Buried pipe needs to be placed 30 inches deep for freeze protection. If the pipeline is delivering gravity flow water, eliminate all the humps in the line because air could become trapped and stop the flow. Plastic or poly-pipe should not be laid in a straight line in the bottom of the trench; instead, it should be curved back and forth to allow for contraction in the cold weather. Install 101 feet of pipe for every 100 feet of trench. Stones should be removed from the bottom of the trench so the pipe is not laying on or next to potential "line breakers."
If you can gravity flow the water, use linear low-density polyethylene (LLDPE) pipe. For pressurized systems, use a rolled high-density polyethylene (HDPE). The size of the pipe needs to match the demand placed on it. Gravity flow and siphon systems will typically require 1.5-inch pipe. One-inch pipe should be sufficient for most pressurized systems.
Pump Pump alternatives where there is no electricity include the nose pump, ram pumps, sling pumps, and solar-powered pumps. The nose pumps make the cattle pump their own water by pushing against a sliding bar that brings the water into a bowl. Only one animal can drink at a time, and one pump can water about 30 cows. The ram pump can move water uphill or horizontally. This pump utilizes the energy of the moving or the falling water. A flow as little as one to three gallons per minute with a two-foot fall can drive a small water ram pump. Sling pumps are self-supporting and powered by flowing water in a stream or wind.