hauling water in winter?

[Hayguy]

have been GIVEN a piece of grass(old,uncut,hay field) to use as winter pasture, it has every thing meaning fence, shelter,etc except a water source. looking for tip's and trick's for hauling water in winter and or other options. Thank-you all for your replies.

 

[mrj]

I know people have done it here (west central SD) where it can get rather brutal low temperatures. But they had access to very warm artesian water. Now most have rural water piped at least onto their ranches, so see little of it, and the town artesian well failed, so they also use the rural water now.

It sure would be a steady job, and time consuming depending on distance, numbers of cattle, etc. Comparing costs, it could possibly be less cost to bring the water to the pasture via pipe or well?

mrj

 

[DejaVu]

Hayguy, I've hauled water in the winter. I used a 1550 gallon poly tank on a tandem axle goose-neck trailer. I found the best way manage freezing temps was to empty the tank as much as possible after each use then park it on a slope so whatever water remained in the tank ran to the off side of the valve. My tank has a banjo valve and I also made sure I had wrenches with me to take it apart-if it was frozen. I couldn't fill the tank at night because of freezing so filled during the day. Make sure you locate cow's water tank in an accessible area because mud and 1500 gallons of water don't work too good... I pulled the trailer with my pickup and located the water tank back off the road. That was ok until snow melted and pulling that much weight, I couldn't get through the mud to the tank. It wasn't a big deal to haul water. Up side was I didn't have to break ice because I was always refilling the cows tank! I hauled water for 70 cows for 60 days. I also zip-tied a short length of garden hose into the vent on top of the tank so I could fill without needing to crawl up on the trailer...that's important when the weather sucks and you have knees as lousy as mine. I could hook up the hose from the hydrant to the short section and fill the tank easily. No suggestions on keeping a hose thawed out other than screwing the ends together and bringing it in the house! Congrats on free winter grass!

 

[Big Muddy rancher]

SNOW

 

[3 M L & C]

Most everyone hauls water to cows on stalks here n fall and winter. Usually 1,000 gallon fertilizer trailer that's rinsed out real well. I'm not to fond of it myself and always like to pasture stalks next to a well or nice neighbors house.

 

[loomixguy]

The guys here use a length of irrigation pipe or similar sized PVC so they can be totally parked on the road and use the pipe to carry the water to the tank. No mud to try to pull out of that way. The big fertilizer tanks on their own running gear is real common in these parts.

 

[Brad S]

in some areas you can drop a sand point in the ground or a test well and pump with a little banjo pump.

We just use an elbow and run the hose up high to keep from unloading in transport. Saves a little money on hardware and let's you go to 4" plumbing.

If hauling through snow and mud and bad stuff a fifth wheel hitch works better than 4 wheel trailer.

Real soon you'll learn to match water quantity to cow needs - 4" discharge is fast enough to get ahead so they don't crowd so bad.

CSU proved snow is a suitable water source like muddy sed

 

[Denny]

SNOW

that's what I use of course it has to snow

 

[Hayguy]

SNOW

that's what I use of course it has to snow

snow here is an unreliable source, it usually get's blown east to BMR or south to PER .

"GOOD" snow can be used , but our's for the most part is the dry sugary type, wind blown into concrete drifts

thank's for all the tip's

 

[Silver]

Like DejaVu said, get the tank good and empty, and park so valve is dry. Its important to insulate the valve while tank is full, even wrapping it with an old coat helps. An exhaust hose is an invaluable piece of equipment for all things water related.

 

[Denny]

I'd bring a rose bud along and have brass valves. When we hauled syrup it would freeze in the valve on the way home I just brought along a 3/8 rod and rammed it up inside. 2 of my tanks just had 3" caps on them poke a small hole and as it flowed it opened up quickly but it was hot and we hauled it 45 miles.

 

[DB Cooper]

Denny:
What is a "rose bud?"

 

[Faster horses]

SNOW

that's what I use of course it has to snow

snow here is an unreliable source, it usually get's blown east to BMR or south to PER .

"GOOD" snow can be used , but our's for the most part is the dry sugary type, wind blown into concrete drifts

thank's for all the tip's

:agree: