Cattle Water Troughs Getting Soiled?

[bluebell]

like many i have some of the large watertroughs next to wall in cattle sheds, i cleaned out last week because they were heavy with messing in, but its is a faffe? That lasted a couple of weeks now they are soiled again? Do you bother or just let the cattle drink the water and all that lurks in it, ive installed a couple of the dumpy tipping water troughs in some pens where some water troughs had rotted in the bottem and needed replacing, any comments please

 

[Loadabullocks]

Like you, they get emptied every now and again. But its hard to get on top of.

 

[Northeastfarmer]

Would you drink out of a cup someone had taken a sh!t in?
Fit a few smaller water troughs

 

[AndrewB]

I clean out all water troughs twice a week with a square bucket to get them clean. often get one that sh1!s in it. Would you drink from a dirty cup!!

 

[bluebell]

no i would not drink from a dirty cup, but honestly how many people clean there water troughs out, different if they are tipping water troughs? what about field troughs with the birds that drink and mess in them i know some people had or have fish in some watertroughs?

 

[James]

If they're dirty they get cleaned whether it's once a day or once a week.

 

[CollCrofter]

Always clean water. Last year I got an old diesel tank and cut it in half and placed it outside the feed barrier so it was't in with the cows.... but I do fill the tough from an IBC as I have no running water in the shed

 

[beefandsleep]

You can’t beat tip overs in my opinion.

 

[foxbox]

We've made a concrete step in front of our troughs. If they have to step up to drink they keep them much cleaner as they can't rub their bums on the lip as easily. It works really well until the muck builds up in the pen and then it doesn't work at all..

 

[le bon paysan]

We use water bowls, but that's Sucklers.

 

[ridger]

Emptied twice a day, and every time they are emptied a few come over to drink the fresh water.

 

[Mouser]

We have a bar out round the troughs about 6-12 inch outside rim depending on cattle size. Keeps them a lot cleaner, only clean 1 or 2 a week out of 14 pens.

 

[Blaithin]

How deep is it?

Put some fish in. Fish love poop. And algae. And bug larvae.

If you’re really game you can design large troughs with soil and plants and fish and they can be fully functioning water filtration units as well.

 

[Extreme Optimist]

Have put all ours outside of the diagonal feeding barriers. Not perfect, but helps a lot.