In harsh winter climates, raising cattle andother livestock can be a challenge – particularly when providing fresh water onthe pasture.
Heated waterers are a great way to keep tanksand troughs from freezing over during the winter, but running electric topasture troughs is not always feasible.
In this article, we provide several tried andtrue tips to help keep your waterers warmer during the winter withoutelectricity.
Tip #1: Insulate Water Tanks,Troughs, and Pipes
First and foremost, anything that houses ortransports water – from tanks to pipes – should be as insulated as possible.The goal is to retain heat inside of the trough. There are several ways toinsulate your water tanks and troughs.
Start by covering the exterior of the troughin a layer of insulation. There are many materials that will work, butmaterials like reflective bubble insulation are easier toapply and better suited to outdoor environments.
The material the trough is made from is an importantfactor, too. Rubber and metal troughs often have little insulation value. Somewaterers and troughs will provide insulation integrated in their design. Shop livestock waterers from brands like Miraco and Browerthat offer higher levels of insulation.
Tip #2: Position Your Trough ToMaximize Its Sun Exposure
This simple tip should come as a no-brainer:positioning pasture troughs in areas where they will receive the most directsunlight warms them and prevents freezing.
When coupled with sufficient insulation,sunlight can adequately warm the water and insulation can help keep the heatcontained even into the early evening hours, when less sunlight is available.
Tip #3: Cover Part of The TroughOpening
A significant amount of heat is lost directlyfrom the water’s surface. This heat loss can be mitigated simply by partiallycovering the trough’s water surface with a lid or other surface. Some troughs,like insulated Miraco Roll Away Watering Troughsare designed with this principle in mind.
If your trough doesn’t have a fitted lid forits opening, you can easily cut a plywood lid to shape and secure it byclamping the homemade lid to the rim of the trough.
For extra water warmth, consider applyinginsulation sheets to the trough lid. To keep the trough water warmer, longer,be sure to expose the water surface to sunlight during the day before partiallycovering it during the evening.
Tip #4: Place A Float In TheTrough’s Water
Moving water is less prone to freezing thanstill water. Adding floats to the trough can help promote water movement,slowing the rate at which the water freezes over.
Soccer balls, basket balls, or anythingbuoyant that won’t harm your animals will work. However, this method will notactually warm water or retain any heat – it simply helps reduce ice formation.
Tip #5: Upgrade The Size of YourTroughs
Thermal mass is an important quality for heatretention. In simple terms, the more mass that is available, the more heat isretained. This is applicable to both solids and liquids. In practice, thismeans a water trough that holds more water will freeze slower than a smallertrough.
If you struggle with keeping your troughswarm, placing a larger, insulated trough in an area of direct sunlight cansignificantly increase the amount of heat generated and retained.
Need a bigger, better insulated trough? Shop our cattle waterers to find an optionthat meets your needs. If non-electric methods aren’t enough and you need toupgrade to heated options, check out our trough de-icers to find anoption right for your farm.
