Latest / CattleUSA Daily / 191: Wells, Tanks, or Hauling—Which Water System Actually Works?

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191: Wells, Tanks, or Hauling—Which Water System Actually Works? · CattleUSA Daily

• 0:03
  Welcome to the Cattle USA Daily podcast.
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  Your go to source for. The latest livestock markets,
• 0:08
  industry insights and the update shaping agriculture today.
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  I'm your host, Lauren Moylan, a passionate advocate for
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  agriculture here. To keep.
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  You informed and connected, now let's dive into today's episode.
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  Water is the quiet driver of every grazing system.
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  It sets your stocking rate, shapes your infrastructure and
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  defines how much work you will be doing every day.
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  But not every ranch has the same landscape or the same options.
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  Some have reliable wells, other depend on stock tanks or ponds,
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  and some have to haul water to keep cattle where the grass is.
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  Today we are going to talk through the different water
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  systems, wells, tanks, hauling and the questions you should ask
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  before you pick or expand any of them.
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  Water planning has to match the land that you are running.
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  In the Sandhills or High Plains, you might rely on deep wells and
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  windmills tapping an Aquaphor and Hill Country or eastern
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  pastures. It might be ponds and creeks
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  backed up with solar pumps when needed.
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  And in an arid or rocky country, hauling may be the only reliable
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  option. The right system isn't about
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  preference. It is simply about what the
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  land, the Aquaphor and the rainfall patterns will support
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  in your area. Before you drill, dig or haul
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  you've got to understand your resource base, your water table
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  depth, recharge rate, and how reliable those sources are
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  across seasons. Wells are often the go to where
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  groundwater is accessible. The pros of this you've got a
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  steady supply, cleaner water, lower long term labor once the
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  system is built. Cons Got a really high upfront
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  cost, especially when you factor in drilling.
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  Casing, pumps, and power extension data that I pulled
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  from Nebraska and Oklahoma put well installation anywhere from
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  25 to $60.00 per foot depending on the depth, plus another 3 to
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  $8000 for the pump system itself.
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  Solar pumps add flexibility but they have a higher initial
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  price. So questions that you need to be
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  asking before drilling. What's my static and pumping
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  water level and how might that drop in a drought?
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  Can I get power here or do I need solar or wind?
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  And how many head can this well realistically support at peak
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  draw? A good rule of thumb is the one
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  mature cow needs roughly 15 to 20 gallons per day in moderate
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  temperatures. In summer heat it can double.
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  That means even a small herd can pull thousands of gallons a
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  week. Now on to option 2.
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  Stock tanks or ponds can be your cheapest and most natural water
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  source if you keep them full and clean.
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  They work well in moderate rainfall zones or where you have
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  runoff and clay soils. But they come with variables.
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  You can't always control evaporation, sedimentation,
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  algae, and nutrient load from manure or fertilizer runoff.
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  K State research and extension shows that A1 acre pond can lose
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  4 to 6 feet of water a year to evaporation alone.
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  In hot climates. That's thousands of gallons gone
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  before the cattle ever touch it. So questions to ask, how
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  dependable is runoff and the refill rate?
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  Can I control access to prevent trampoline and erosion?
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  Is the pond fenced with limited access points to preserve water
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  quality? And do I have a backup plan if
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  the pond dries early? The best managed surface systems
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  include gravity fed troughs or fenced off edges that limit
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  cattle access directly to the pond.
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  Now let's move on to option 3. For some ranchers, hauling water
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  is simply just part of the job, especially on leased or remote
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  pastures. The cost adds up quick, though.
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  University of Wyoming data estimates about 1 cent to three
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  cents per gallon, depending on distance and fuel prices.
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  That is 150 to $450 per cow per summer just for water delivery.
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  It's labor intensive and weather dependent, but it's extremely
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  flexible. You can graze areas that would
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  otherwise go unused. If hauling is part of your plan,
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  consider these things distance and road conditions.
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  Are you losing hours every day in transit alone?
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  Ask about your tank size and refilling logistics.
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  Can you deliver enough water per trip to meet the demand of your
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  cattle? You've got storage on site,
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  Portable tanks or troughs with float valves can save multiple
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  trips when possible, and then you've got long term wear and
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  tear. What's the true cost of
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  equipment? Tires and time hauling is a
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  great short term solution for rotational setups, but it's
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  rarely sustainable year after year, no matter the water
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  source, the delivery system makes or breaks efficiency.
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  A poorly designed through or small storage tank can
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  bottleneck the entire herd. For reference, most Extension
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  engineers suggest one to two linear inches of through space
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  per 100 lbs of cow weight, and at least one watering site per
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  40 to 50 head to prevent crowding In larger pastures.
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  Distributing water every half mile to mile apart can improve
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  grazing distribution and reduce overuse near tanks or ponds.
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  So when you're evaluating your water system, ask how reliable
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  is my supply year around, not just in the spring?
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  What's the cost per gallon delivered over five years,
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  including maintenance? How can how many head can each
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  system realistically support? What's my?
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  Backup if. The well fails or the pond goes
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  dry. And can I design flexibility?
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  Pipe connections, portable troughs, valves to adapt to
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  future herd or pasture changes. Those questions are what
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  separate reactionary water management from strategic
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  planning. Water decisions aren't just
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  infrastructure decisions. Their management decisions,
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  Wells, tanks and hauling all have a place depending on your
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  land, your herd, and your goals. The key is understanding what
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  each cost you in money, time and reliability and planning your
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  grazing system around that because when the Water Works,
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  everything else does too. This is the Cattle USA daily
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  podcast. I'm your host, Lauren Moylan.
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  If you could take a second if you're watching on YouTube to
• 7:26
  make sure that you are subscribed to the podcast and go
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  like this episode. And if you are listening on any
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  of the other podcast platforms, make sure that you are following
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  the show and that you take a second to go right and review
• 7:36
  it. We really appreciate it here at
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  the team. Thanks for tuning in to another
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  episode. We will see you all tomorrow.
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  Have a good one.