Freeze Protection for Livestock Watering Systems

1. Freeze Protection for
Livestock Watering Systems
A Publication of ATTRA—National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service • 1-800-346-9140 • www.attra.ncat.org
By Vicki Lynne and Using a livestock watering system in the winter is problematic but possible. Freezing temperatures pose
Mike Morris, NCAT two main challenges: winterizing a summer use-only system and freeze-proofing a system intended
Agriculture Specialists for winter use.
Published 2002
Revised April 2010
By Lee Rinehart, NCAT
Winterizing a
Agriculture Specialist summer use-only system
© NCAT
T
he first part of winterizing a summer
use-only system is turning off the
system at the pump controller.
Contents
For a system with a submersible pump,
Winterizing a
summer use-only water in the supply pipe in the well must
system ................................ 1 have a way to drain below the freeze level.
Winter use of a One method to ensure drainage is to drill
livestock water a 1/16-inch hole in the supply pipe 7 to 10
system ............................... 1
feet below ground. This will allow water to
Suggestions for drain out of the pipe above that level when
keeping water
open .................................... 1 the pump is not running. The system will Solar-powered livestock watering system at
References ........................ 3 lose a small amount of water during pump- Sauerbier Ranch near Sheridan, Mont. Photo by
Further resources ........... 3 ing. Another method is to install a frost-free Mike Morris, NCAT.
hydrant on top of the well. At the end of
the pumping season, and long before freez- including using heat from the earth or sun,
ing weather occurs, turn off the pump and insulating components or continuously
close the hydrant. Any aboveground piping circulating water.
must be drained. When you install the system, you will need
For a system with a surface pump, any to reduce the chances of freeze-up of compo-
aboveground piping that will be exposed nents that may be in contact with water. You
to freezing temperatures must be com- will need to bury piping below the frost line.
pletely drained. The pump and suction line If the system includes a well, install a pitless
must also be completely drained. The pump adapter. Any aboveground sections of piping
should be covered. should be insulated and arranged to drain
at night or when it’s cloudy and water is not
being pumped. Frost-free hydrants may not
Winter use of a work in this situation. If the handle is left
livestock water system up and the solar-pumped water stops run-
ATTRA—National Sustainable
Agriculture Information Service If you plan to use a watering system when ning, because of lack of sunlight at night or
(www.attra.ncat.org) is managed because it’s cloudy, the hydrant will freeze.
by the National Center for Appro-
pipes and water troughs can freeze, you will
priate Technology (NCAT) and is need to plan ahead. If you use a solar-pow-
funded under a grant from the
United States Department of
ered system, keep in mind the solar panels Suggestions for keeping
stop generating power at night, when tem-
Agriculture’s Rural Business-
Cooperative Service. Visit the
peratures are lowest. Also, solar electric tech-
water open
NCAT Web site (www.ncat.org/
sarc_current.php) for nology is good for pumping water but not There are several ways to keep watering
more information on
our sustainable agri-
very good for electric resistance heating. You tanks open and storage tanks from freez-
culture projects. have several options to prevent freeze-up, ing. Each livestock watering situation is

2. different, so you will need to create a bottom under the tank. You can circu-
solution for your site, weather and terrain. late water from the culvert into the tank
Below are some ideas: with a separate low-wattage solar-pow-
1. Pump water into a large enclosed storage ered pump. This system requires a battery
tank at a higher elevation. You should bank to allow for night use. You will need
insulate the tank in some way, bury it to put the batteries in a non-freezing area,
or mound dirt around it. If the tank perhaps on a platform above the water
is exposed, paint it black to absorb the level in the culvert.
sun’s heat during the day. From the stor- 6. You can use a special in-tank propane
age tank, run a buried line to supply heater to keep water from freezing.
the watering tanks by gravity and con-
trol this flow with a float valve. You may 7. Innovative producers have experimented
want to use a thermostatically controlled with building solar-heated air or water
float valve that opens when temperatures collectors on their tanks. A system such
drop below a certain point. You can posi- as this uses the sun’s heat to keep the tank
tion some of these valves to direct water from freezing.
around the outside of the watering tank 8. Another way to use propane is to run a
Related ATTRA to keep water open for stock. You can also
publications quarter-inch copper tube from the regu-
pump water into the storage tank during lator into the water tank and crack the
Paddock Design, the day so that it will continuously trickle propane valve open slightly, just enough
Fencing, and into the watering tank at night and on to allow small bubbles to flow from the
Water Systems for cloudy days. The watering tank will need tube. The bubbling action will keep water
Controlled Grazing an overflow drain-field.
open at the spot it emerges from the tube.
Solar-Powered 2. If a storage tank is not an option, you can A propane tank will last over a month if
Livestock
use a solar pumping system to fill the water- used in this manner. The livestock waterer
Watering Systems
ing tank directly during the day. Make can be placed in a location where the pro-
Renewable Energy a small hole that allows the tank to drain pane can be easily dispersed by the wind
Opportunities slowly at night to keep water moving. to prevent an accumulation of propane
on the Farm
3. You can use large heavy equipment tires gas. A propane bubbler can be constructed
as watering tanks. These help keep water for about $90 from materials acquired at
open since they are black and absorb a hardware store. If you have an old pro-
heat from the sun. They are also flexible pane bottle, you can have it filled and save
enough not to crack if freezing occurs. about half of the cost.
These tires are often free and are very Materials list
tough and can take abuse from animals.
Item: Approximate cost:
4. Much of the heat loss from a watering 20-pound $60 to $90, new
tank occurs at the surface of the water. propone tank
You can reduce this heat loss consider-
ably by placing an insulated cover over a Regulator $10 to $15
large part of the surface area of the tank. Adaptor fittings (2) $5
Provide openings around the edge where Copper tubing, length cut as
animals can drink. You can also insulate ¼ inch necessary
the sides of watering tanks with insula-
tion material, sawdust or wood chips. Par- Adaptor fittings
tially burying a watering tank, or berm- These fittings go on each side of the regu-
ing it with earth, takes advantage of the lator and connect the bottle valve to the
ground’s warmth to prevent freezing.
regulator and the regulator to the tubing.
5. Another way to make use of underground The fitting from the bottle valve to the
warmth is to install a culvert with a sealed adaptor will have a large, reverse-thread
Page 2 ATTRA Freeze Protection for Livestock Watering Systems

3. male gas fitting on one side (to match from trampling and damaging the bottle,
the internal threads on the bottle valve) regulator or tubing.
and a tattered pipe thread fitting on the
other side. The pipe thread will be a male Energy-free livestock waterers
thread, ¼ or ⅜ inches in nominal pipe
A variation on water systems is to use an
size. The adaptor fitting that connects
insulated livestock waterer in the manner
the regulator to the tubing will be a ¼-
suggested by the government of Alberta’s
or ⅜-inch male pipe thread on one side,
Agriculture and Food program. This pro-
which corresponds to the female threads
gram has tested low-input, energy-free live-
in the regulator. The regulator will have
stock water delivery and heating technology
an arrow pointing in the direction of flow
that relies on geothermal heat to keep water
stamped onto the regulator body. On the
open during cold weather, as low as -15
other side of the fitting will be a ¼- or ⅜-
degrees Fahrenheit (AFMRC, 1994). For a
inch compression fitting to connect to the
report on the construction, use and mainte-
tubing (depending on the size of tubing
nance of the energy-free system, see the pub-
you choose).
lication Energy Free Water Fountains from
It is recommended that you construct a Alberta Agriculture and Food at www1.
protective device to cover the tank and agric.gov.ab.ca/$department/deptdocs.nsf/all/
shield the tubing, and to keep livestock eng3133/$file/706.pdf?OpenElement.
References
Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development, Alberta Build it Solar. Build it Solar, a Renewable Energy Site
Farm Machinery Research Centre (AFMRC). 1994. for Do-it-yourselfers. www.builditsolar.com/Projects/
Energy Free Water Fountains. www1.agric.gov.ab.ca/
WaterHeating/water_heating.htm#Animals
$department/deptdocs.nsf/all/eng3133
Web site includes resources for heating water for
Further resources animals, including solar-heated tanks.
Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development. 1991.
Field Study of Electrically Heated and Energy Free MiraFount Livestock Water Systems
Automated Livestock Water Fountains. www.miraco.com/default.aspx
www1.agric.gov.ab.ca/$department/deptdocs.nsf/all/eng3134 Manufacturer of energy-free livestock watering systems.
Alberta Farm Machinery Research Center (AFMRC).
1994. Energy Free Water Fountains. Murdoch’s Ranch & Home Supply
www1.agric.gov.ab.ca/$department/deptdocs.nsf/all/ www.murdochs.com
eng3133/$file/706.pdf?OpenElement Source of MiraFount Livestock Water Systems.
www.attra.ncat.org ATTRA Page 3

4. Freeze Protection for Livestock Watering Systems
By Vicki Lynne and Mike Morris, NCAT Agriculture Specialists
Published 2002
Revised 2010 by Lee Rinehart, NCAT Agriculture Specialist
©NCAT
Holly Michels, Editor
Amy Smith, Production
This publication is available on the Web at:
www.attra.ncat.org/attra-pub/freeze.html
or
www.attra.ncat.org/attra-pub/PDF/freeze.pdf
IP215
Slot 208
Version 042010
Page 4 ATTRA