Keeping a trough free of ice may not require keeping the water warm – it may just need to be kept from getting too cold.
Will Oddie, a farmer from Lumsden, Sask., who also runs a solar power company, says the recent run of extreme cold weather prompted many livestock producers to consider their winter watering options more closely.
Oddie said farmers can cost effectively manage their winter watering by harnessing the energy of the ground and the water and rely on livestock to keep the water moving.
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Kelln Solar’s insulated winter trough has no moving parts or heating. Drink tubes allow animals to place their heads into the trough to drink but keep the cold winter air away from most of the water.
The company builds a 900 litre model that supports 50 to 200 animals and a 2,400 litre unit that will handle herds of more than 200 head.
Four sides of the double wall poly troughs are protected from the cold by R-10 or better pouring insulation. Drink tubes are the water’s only exposure to the air.
Four drink tubes can be installed in the smaller unit, which can be capped to prevent heat loss if only one or two are needed. The larger unit can handle up to eight tubes.
Oddie said little ice will form at -15 to -25 C. If temperatures fall below this, a small ice plug may have to be pushed out of the way.
The tapered tubes are wider at the bottom than at the top to allow ice plugs to be pushed down by animals or producers.
“We built one for a farmer as a special order. He wanted a propane heater added to the trough. He returned the heater parts the following season saying he didn’t need the heater component,” Oddie said.
“Animals draw the water out of the troughs before it freezes, so ensuring you have the right model for the size of the herd is important.”
Oddie said water can be delivered to the troughs in two ways:
- Fed through the top from a well or cistern.
“A float switch will call for water as it is drawn down, ensuring there is enough available for animals and to create mass that helps prevent freezing.”
- Fed from the bottom by a pressure line like a heated water bowl.
Ground water is usually about 4 to 9 C, meaning 900 litres of water holds about 16,000 BTUs of energy.
The larger trough would hold more energy, 42,000 BTUs, provided the water inventory is changed regularly by animal use.
“Ideally you want that water to be changed over by the animals two or three times each day as a minimum.”
Oddie said solar pumping is an option for remote sites.
The company also produces an ice tube that allows producers to pump water out of a dugout’s surface without the pipe freezing.
