Licking Snow

[ALLFARMER]

Anyone using cowcrete concrete watering bowls?
Thinking of putting in a few next year.

[smcgrath76]

We looked at them when we rebuilt waterers
here, but went with recycled tire troughs
from Marwayne. Look on Kijiji as they
sometimes show up for less.
I have heard good things about those
trough and bad about the elements. We
really like the tires.

[forage]

I would not recommend them, I have the large blue one for the main winter water supply. Problems with every thing you can imagine .Only 4 years old and numerous stress cracks, elements cann't keep up to cold weather,the electric board completely had to be replaced. I know that as soon as we have to lift it up to replace it ,the complete unit well split in two. Inorder to lift you have to tread in 2 U-bolts and the stress fracks are naturally right at holes for the bolts. Before you purchase one take a good look were the lift points are and one you lift it to load and lift to place on your pad well be about the last time you well be able to work with it. For ever chopping out the ice from blow. Works great for watering alot of cattle at a time durring the summer but winter is your problem.

[DogPatch]

I would be concerned about calves getting knocked in upside down in those tire waters.......

what kind of a price tag on the Ritchie waterers?

[wlc]

Run an electric Wire [or wires ] across top of tire trough .Stops all crowding
and pushing .Also stops cattle from drinking down too low and damaging or
freezing float .

[forage]

Dogpatch you have a valid concern. The water trough that was orginally on this place was a death trap. Steel 4ft x 8ft with a wood burning 20 inch pipe in the middle. Made a bad decision to split the trough so two pens could water from each side, lost a 2 year old heifer after an older cow lifted her from behind between the legs head first into trough, even though I was right there I still lost the heifer. Trough was removed the next day.
Never seen this rubber tire one,rather than put electric wire arround could it fit inside a steel round bale feeder?

[forage]

The above statement should have read eye bolts not u bolts , these night shifts are catching up me.

[grassfarmer]

I sure like the two frost-free nose pumps we have.
Once the cows get used to them they work great. Bit
of a cost/pain to install initially but no electricity
needed and they look well enough built to last for a
very long time. That's in a pasture situation of course
as our cows don't live in the corrals. I guess you can
use them in a corral setting with piped water too if
you wanted to.