Roll over basins

This buckets dont get dirty so easily

Problems and solutions

Problems:

Finland

The biggest problem is that in winter the temperature can go down up to -30 degrees, so cows have cold water in drink cups. Other studies have shown that when water is under 6 degrees, cows drink less water and then milk yields will be lower, too. 

A problem is that in free range stables drink cups or basins are in a wrong place, they are too close on feeding racks, so many cows will mess with water and you have a wet feeding floor and wet food in front of cows. There are some ways in the walking line between a feeding space and a laying area and some cows will block the way for other cows. 

The next problem we have seen is water pressure. When s cow is thirsty and the pressure is too low, a cow must wait for water. It is better to have more pressure and a cow can drink faster and more.

Netherlands:

On most farms in Holland there aren’t big problems only small ones like: Dirty water, too small basins or too small drink cups. On some farms cows are playing with water so food gets wet.

In some stables cows can’t reach water basins easily, because basins are in small walking lines and a cow cannot drink undisturbed and she will not drink enough. So you have to think about: are basins in good places or can you add more drinking basins to more places?

Solutions:

Dirty water

When you have a lot problems with bacterias or dirt in water,  you can make a roll over basin which can be cleaned easily. In this system there are sometimes water  leaks and it takes more space than a little drink cup. The second option is to build a quick drinker with a high water pressure and it is always clean.

 For drink basins choose big roll over basins because they are very easy to clean. Or small drink cups  and dont't put cups on a food rack but only on places with enough space.

And if it’s possible put drink cups in a milking draw.

Too short of water places

When you don't have enough water basins, you can build more or bigger basins or make more places with little drink cups. Another very good tip is to build drink cups in a milking draw because after milking cows are always thirsty. Cow are also calm in a stable because they don't get concentrated food.

Cows playing with water

When cows are playing with drink cups on a food rack 1300,  you can make a plate behind a drink cup and a cow can not make anymore a mess on a food floor. Maybe this is more difficult but you can place a drink cup into another place. You can also replace a little cup with quick drinkers.

Winter

Think also about water pipes in winter because they can be frozen. To prevent a problem you can isolate pipes or make a diagrid glow in pipes and you can make a round pump system.

The places

The best places are not too close and there are also not too many on a feeding rack, and also not outside of a rack. So cows can not mess with water and you don't have a wet feeding floor and food. Spread drinking places through a whole stable so cows can find water easily and drink all day long. Don’t place  drinking cups or basins in the walking line. So when cows are drinking, they will not block the way for other cows when they are walking.

The best system is the drinking cups. They are almost always clean because a cow can not easily make them dirty with manure. When you have a big basin,  cows can easily make it dirty, and a big basin takes more space so cows have less space for walking. There can come a lot of dirt in basins and that  makes water less tasty, so cows will drink less water. After a research they have found out that cows like to drink on a surface of water, so it is a advantage for basins. But you must clean them often and that causes quite a lot extra work.

During milking a cow gives a lot of milk, so after milking a cow is really thirsty. It is important for a cow that there is always water available for drinking.    

The warmth

Some farmers give warm water to cows. They warm it up with a boiler or with an other system.  

There is a company which makes systems which use warm water from a tank cooling system, and this way they can store warm water and heat from cold water by using it.  This way you can save energy, and cows can get warm water.

For all water systems: use high pressure on water for a quick supply of water in the basin/cups

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Page updated 23.5.2006