A couple of cows

[Sheepwheat]

Can tell who lives in places with unreliable snow cover 😂

The horses definitely needed water this year. They ran out of snow a couple of times.

Ha. We have never in history not had reliable snow cover. The worst is always the shoulder season. When it freezes up, but doesn’t snow for a bit. That is unusual though here.

Part of the problem I have setting up a central water system, is that our pasture is planned to be flexible, in that once all our land is fenced, the critters will be moved all over creation. That is the reason I want to stay with a mobile water system.

The research article about cows and snow was encouraging to me, and eye opening for sure. Looks like it can be done with zero affect on production etc.

Thanks all for input of course.

[Blaithin]

Affect on production depends on the cow. Dairy cows and freshly lactating beef cows need water. Weaned calves need water.

Dry, fatty beef cows and bulls, ok on snow.

I personally wouldn’t be to worried about a winterized portable system but do find one winterized, permanent source very handy. Good for any hospital pen needs and the dogs and cats and little birds enjoy it.

Growing up the cows regularly walked 1/4 to 1/2 mile one way to get water. They were fed out in various pastures and could make the treck in to the corrals for a drink as that’s where the two waterers capable of winter functioning were. Did each one do it every day? Probably not, but they could still get it whenever they wanted.

I would argue with that article that the feed:gain ratio of 10:1 and 8:1 for the calves aren’t significant. That’s half way to feedlot gains of 6:1 which is touted as a superior standard. Almost all tools marketed today are to improve feed conversion. Implants, ionophores… why would we invest in those if something as simple as supplying water can increase the conversion from 10 to 8, but it isn’t actually significant? These studies on conversion and gain are a big driving force for beef farmers to fence off riparian areas and pump water out into troughs as calves with access to the same water, without having to go down to the source to get it, are proven to drink more and gain/perform better.