Water has always been a precious commodity, and drought conditions in parts of the Midwest over the past two years have pushed cow-calf producers to get inventive when it comes to water availability.
Many will locate their pasture systems near water, but before that happens, water inventories need to be assessed.
“You have to look at what you have first,” says Denise Schwab, Iowa State University Extension beef specialist based in eastern Iowa.
Those water sources could utilize a variety of technologies, from ponds to wells to gravity-flow systems.
“You want to make sure you limit access to keep water quality high,” Schwab says. “You want a clean source of water.”
In some areas, rural water may be a viable option.
“Some will say it’s not very economical, but many producers are using rural water more and more,” Schwab says, adding it’s a reliable source of water during dry periods.
She says drilling a well is an option, but it comes with an expensive price tag.
Another option may be running a line of PVC pipe above ground, winding it through fence line to move water from the building site to the grazing system.
Tile lines could also be used if it works logistically with the pasture.
Water tanks are common, and Schwab says those can be used either in a gravity-flow system, or as the destination for water hauled out to the cattle.
“It’s going to be much more practical to take water to the cows, rather than moving the cows to the water,” she says.
Cows drink more water in the summer and will need a steady source, says Julie Walker, Extension beef specialist with South Dakota State University. She says most cows will need about 14.5 gallons of water daily when temperatures reach 60 degrees. That amount jumps to 20 gallons per day when the thermometer hits 80 degrees.
Walker says water quality is very important, adding cow and calf efficiency is weakened by poor quality water.
Source: agupdate.com
Photo Credit: GettyImages-PamWalker68
Categories: North Dakota, Sustainable Agriculture