Winter water reminders for livestock

Sources: Jeff Lehmkuhler, UK extension beef specialist

As temperatures get colder, most producers begin to focus their attention on getting stored forages to their animals. It’s also a good time to remember available water for livestock in the winter is critical to health and survival.

Winter brings challenges of battling frozen waterers and frozen plumbing. Another factor is that animals may consume less water in the winter for a variety of reasons including environmental temperature, feed moisture, body size and level of milk production.

During cold weather, your animals’ energy requirements will increase so they can maintain their body temperature. To meet that extra demand, you will likely increase their dry matter intake, if they can physically consume more feed. Water intake will affect their dry matter intake. If water sources are limited or frozen, animals won’t be able to compensate for the colder temperatures.

You have several options to deliver clean, fresh water to livestock, even on the coldest days of the year. Think about your actual water source. Are you using natural surface water sources? Do you have waterers installed or are you thinking of installing them? Surface water presents challenges that will require more work. You have to make sure the water quality downstream is good and that streambank quality is preserved. You’ll also have to check them often to make sure the surface is not frozen.

Large storage tanks are an option, but they still require frequent checks for ice. You could install a continuous flow valve in a storage tank to prevent freezing, but you’ll have to have an overflow directing water away from the tank to prevent excessive mud.

If you have electricity available at the winter feeding site, you have a great number of watering options. You can add an electric heater to almost any watering system.

If electricity is not available, you could research ways to harvest geothermal heat. A variety of watering systems on the market harvest geothermal heat from the ground below the tank, keeping water thawed and available to livestock even in the coldest of environments. Most of these waterers use heat tubes buried deep into the ground, allowing for geothermal heat to rise and keep water supply lines and the drinking trough thawed. While these systems do a good job of keeping pipes and floats from freezing they are not ice-free. Depending on the amount of animal traffic using the waterer and environmental temperature, you may still need to remove a thin layer of ice over the drinking area on very cold days.

Regardless of the method you choose, your animals need clean, fresh and available water this winter.

For more information on livestock water and nutrition requirements, contact the Clinton County Cooperative Extension Service at 606-387-5404.

Educational programs of the Cooperative Extension Service serve all people regardless of economic or social status and will not discriminate on the basis of race, color, ethnic origin, national origin, creed, religion, political belief, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expressions, pregnancy, marital status, genetic information, age, veteran status, or physical or mental disability.

Upcoming Meetings

Woodland Owners Series

The Clinton County Extension Office will host three Woodland Stewards Webinars that will take place February 6th, 13th, and March 5th. Each webinar will begin at 6:00 p.m. CST and conclude by 7:30 p.m.. The webinars will cover topics such as woodland management, financial aspects of managing woodlands, and forestry and wildlife resources available to woodland owners. The sessions are free to attend and are open to anyone interested in learning more about managing their woodlands. All three sessions have been approved for 1.5 hours of continuing education for Kentucky Master Loggers.

Weed Control in Pasture and Hayfields

The Clinton County Extension Office will host a weed control in pastures and hay fields meeting on Thursday February 20th at the SKRECC building. UK Extension weed specialist Dr. J.D. Green will be the guest speaker. The meeting will begin at 6:00 p.m. with a meal, please call the Extension Office at 606-387-5404 if you plan to attend, so meal preparations can be made.

KDA Nuisance Weed Spraying

The Kentucky Department of Agriculture (KDA) is offering a nuisance weed spraying demonstration to producers. The demonstration consists of herbicide to spray 10 acres of grass pastures or hay fields and a self-contained sprayer. Producer is responsible for water to fill sprayer, plus tractor and driver.

The program is limited to seven producers on a first come, first served basis. If you are interested in this program, please contact the Clinton County Cooperative Extension Office at 606-387-5404, deadline for the program is Friday, February 28th.