Water Troughs?

[bluebell]

For livestock farmers only, what do you use, the good the bad and the ugly? Why hasnt a design from a college or what come up with a water trough that is, tough, built like a tank, lasts for more than a few years, dosnt leak, drip, has the water pipe connection, sheilded in the design, ? Ive got a selection, with the cheapest, most common being the galvanised rectangular steel, (seem to rot quick today, than the earlier ones), U shaped wall mounted, flip down empty, (expensive and drip), round black plastic, quite good but will split when bull/cows have a rub? Only ones i havnt had or tried are the concrete types, please give comments, what do you use and how do they last when used with cows and bulls?

 

[czechmate]

I have some concrete ones and they are my preferred choice, probably cheaper in the long run too

 

[nxy]

I have a couple of La Buvette ones that are twenty years old and still in use and most of what we use are made by them. Not cheap for plastic but seem to last. This is with Limousin sucklers by the way. If you not intending moving them and know nothing much is going to change for the next twenty years I would go with concrete though.

 

[czechmate]

I have a couple of La Buvette ones that are twenty years old and still in use and most of what we use are made by them. Not cheap for plastic but seem to last. This is with Limousin sucklers by the way. If you not intending moving them and know nothing much is going to change for the next twenty years I would go with concrete though.

Using wells for water, my main problem with plastic and hot Augusts, if they come for a huge group drink, get the level low then knock it around to a position where it leaks and you don’t notice for a while… all the water is gone

 

[crashbox]

Concrete with a big drain bung. SMP make them.

Water pipe not enclosed, though.

 

[Kiwi Pete]

Round concrete ones are pretty standard here.

Main things to consider are the depth, if you have lambs, and how the little cistern on the side fits a float valve.
Best IMO have the thread coming in from the side rather than out of the top - means you can fit a wider range of float valves and they're less likely to freeze up as it sits closer to the water.

Oh and lids make a difference, the rounder and more streamlined the lid is, the less cattle will rub on them

If you are watering large numbers of cattle then 25mm threads give better flow. For smaller numbers and for mainly sheep, 20mm is fine

Some of our deeper ones have cinderblocks in them so if a little lamb gets in, they can clamber back out. You can put rock around them to build up the level, which in boggier places helps them resist moving and tilting

Have lots of smaller rectangle troughs here which are OK for sheep but not so good for cattle, firstly the lids are very boxy and secondly they are only 20mm, so calves get in them once they're drunk down and have tipped a few over

 

[czechmate]

Concrete with a big drain bung. SMP make them.

Water pipe not enclosed, though.

the ones I use are fed in from the bottom

 

[Northeastfarmer]

Got a few of these, can’t fault them

concrete water troughs mid-wales shropshire Cheshire Yorkshire

Top quality concrete drinking water troughs and agricultural products made in Wales.

www.fordenconcreteproducts.co.uk

Very heavy duty, big drain plug and water feed comes up from the bottom so can’t be knocked off

 

[delilah]

Recently looked after neighbours cattle for a few days, real selection of water troughs, either had to empty sh!t out or fix service box where bull had rubbed, only pen that gave no trouble had one of these, I reckon the old ways are sometimes best.

 

[czechmate]

Got a few of these, can’t fault them

concrete water troughs mid-wales shropshire Cheshire Yorkshire

Top quality concrete drinking water troughs and agricultural products made in Wales.

www.fordenconcreteproducts.co.uk

Very heavy duty, big drain plug and water feed comes up from the bottom so can’t be knocked off

very similar to the local french ones here, I do like the way ours feed from the bottom though, the valve is then controled by a float on a string, which I thought might be knaff, but it’s not a problem at all. Other then getting wet servicing the valve

 

[Kiwi Pete]

very similar to the local french ones here, I do like the way ours feed from the bottom though, the valve is then controled by a float on a string, which I thought might be knaff, but it’s not a problem at all. Other then getting wet servicing the valve

I nearly drowned replacing a valve once

High power electric fence wire behind the ear while I was elbow deep in water, came to soaking wet with a fat lip and a burn in the soft bit behind my right lug.
2 troughs per 2 paddocks, under the fence

 

[czechmate]

I nearly drowned replacing a valve once

High power electric fence wire behind the ear while I was elbow deep in water, came to soaking wet with a fat lip and a burn in the soft bit behind my right lug.
2 troughs per 2 paddocks, under the fence

 

[nxy]

Using wells for water, my main problem with plastic and hot Augusts, if they come for a huge group drink, get the level low then knock it around to a position where it leaks and you don’t notice for a while… all the water is gone

There are grants available for new boreholes, pumps and storage tanks if your system is not up to the job. Our current well is not providing enough water and we are investigating a new set up.

 

[nxy]

very similar to the local french ones here, I do like the way ours feed from the bottom though, the valve is then controled by a float on a string, which I thought might be knaff, but it’s not a problem at all. Other then getting wet servicing the valve

What's this fancy float on a string? A 5 litre hand cleaner can works just as well.

 

[TelesnaAg]

Concrete 1000 gallon, 4200 litre only thing i use and majority of district in oz.

If you have a supply issue you dont have to panick unless many mouths.

They last 50 odd years here.

Ant...

 

[TelesnaAg]

I also use 9" yellow floats so can see from a distance if trough has water, i got every black and small orange one from here and burnt them.

Ant...

 

[cows sh#t me to tears]

^^^^^^^
32mm minimum inlet size as well.
Brass high low valve with ball on a stainless chain. If they play with the ball they won't break the valve like a fixed plastic one.

 

[nxy]

On our main cattle troughs we use Jobe valves which I think are NZ made. They will fill troughs much faster than the La Buvette French ones.