Water supply

[jerseycowsman]

Putting in complete new water supply in fields for 350 spring calving jerseys.
I assume I should just go with 50mm pipe and be done with it. What size troughs, as big as I can get I suppose, although my tractor has a 2 tonne lift so maybe restricted,especially if I decide I need to move them after a while. Definitely concrete troughs though. Whose make is best?
And I’m not bothered to bury the pipe as if I want to move troughs etc it’s easier to find the pipe and t into it. Apart from tidiness, is there any other reason why I should bury it?
TIA all you experts!

 

[pappuller]

Putting in complete new water supply in fields for 350 spring calving jerseys.
I assume I should just go with 50mm pipe and be done with it. What size troughs, as big as I can get I suppose, although my tractor has a 2 tonne lift so maybe restricted,especially if I decide I need to move them after a while. Definitely concrete troughs though. Whose make is best?
And I’m not bothered to bury the pipe as if I want to move troughs etc it’s easier to find the pipe and t into it. Apart from tidiness, is there any other reason why I should bury it?
TIA all you experts!

@Beef farmer

 

[farmboy]

We went 50mm main and then 32mm off to troughs. If you have a good size main and good pressure is it so important to have massive troughs and the level never drops

 

[vantage]

Granant for concrete troughs.

 

[Sharpy]

You need to bury blue pipe, for above ground it should be black. As above you need big troughs with a small flow, but with high pressure and flow you could use smaller troughs, this would also help keep troughs clean as the water would be changed more often.

 

[milkloss]

You need to bury blue pipe, for above ground it should be blue. As above you need big troughs with a small flow, but with high pressure and flow you could use smaller troughs, this would also help keep troughs clean as the water would be changed more often.

I know it was a typo...... but black for above ground

 

[Sharpy]

I know it was a typo...... but black for above ground

Thank you, don't know how I did that! Will edit.

 

[Cows 'n grass]

Definitely Granant troughs through bridgmans.

It depends how far you're pumping but you should be fine on 32 for 350 cows with a decent pump.

 

[Will Blackburn]

@Shane_watertrough ace troughs. I’ve got 24, will more than likely have another 8. Like you we are limited to 400g 2 tonne model which has been great for 350 cows on a 32mm main.

 

[TomB]

Have troughs from West Country concrete, 32mm ideally on a loop will be fine if plenty of pressure.

 

[Beef farmer]

Page concrete troughs 2000l £340
50mm ring main with 32mm spurs
Great investment

 

[Beef farmer]

A lot will depend on the grazing platform. A long thin platform will need a larger pipe to take it out, a square farm your far paddocks may only be 400m away

 

[Headless chicken]

We’ve gone for 50mm main with a 63mm pipe coming from the header tank down to the parlour. 32mm tees 500gallon Grannant troughs. Been a slow and painful process but by the end of 2022 we should have suitable amounts of troughs and water in every field. Nothing worse than yield being suppressed by lack of water!

 

[___\0/___]

We went 50mm main and then 32mm off to troughs. If you have a good size main and good pressure is it so important to have massive troughs and the level never drops

New Red tractor standards mean 10% off cattle need to be able to drink at the same so needs to be fairly big.

 

[farmboy]

New Red tractor standards mean 10% off cattle need to be able to drink at the same so needs to be fairly big.

Which equates to how much space/cow? Can’t see many people achieving that at grazing with a mob of 3/400 cows

 

[___\0/___]

Which equates to how much space/cow? Can’t see many people achieving that at grazing with a mob of 3/400 cows

I assume red tractor guys will want you to measure your top 30% biggest cows twice a week (fully documented) and go from there.

 

[Fergieman]

The last few years I have upgrading water troughs and supply pipe to fields. Last year changed the main fed from 25mm to 50mm and what a difference it made. Ours is all uphill! 400g concrete troughs from @Shane_watertrough have some moore water troughs as well but like the hidden water pipe in the forden ones, saves the cows rubbing it off!

 

[___\0/___]

Which equates to how much space/cow? Can’t see many people achieving that at grazing with a mob of 3/400 cows

Just some fag packet maths you would need two of the 500 gallon Moore concrete ones per field with access on all sides per field to meet the proposed regulations for 350 cows, miby a bit less for jerseys.

 

[farmboy]

What is the space allowance required by red tractor?

 

[___\0/___]

What is the space allowance required by red tractor?

Honestly don't think they will say, but I went with 60cm.