Water is the single most important nutrient for cattle, so it must always be available in good quality and sufficient quantity. Yet when planning a watering system, it is easy to forget that the type of drinker and its exact placement decide whether an animal actually drinks enough, and often enough.
How much water cattle actually need
Water needs vary considerably between cattle categories, so it makes sense to plan around your herd's actual composition rather than an average figure:
- Cows drink between 60 and 180 litres a day, at a rate of 15 to 20 litres per minute.
- Cattle over one year old need between 25 and 70 litres a day, at a rate of 10 to 15 litres per minute.
- Young stock under one year drink between 15 and 30 litres a day, at a rate of 5 to 8 litres per minute.
- Calves up to 6 months need between 5 and 25 litres a day.
The range is wide because it depends on body weight, stage of lactation, ambient temperature and feed composition. This is exactly why a watering system needs to be designed to cover the upper end of these needs, not just the average, otherwise queues form at the drinker during peak demand.
Drinking speed matters just as much as the daily volume when planning. A cow that drinks up to 180 litres a day does so in relatively short bursts at 15 to 20 litres per minute, meaning the drinker must provide enough flow, or the animal will not manage to drink enough during the time it spends there. It is therefore worth planning the number of drinking points relative to group size, not just the total water volume.
Types of drinkers and when they make sense
There is no single correct drinker for every situation; the choice is a trade-off between natural drinking behaviour and practical maintenance:
- Open trough drinkers best match the natural, open drinking behaviour typical of pasture animals.
- Float-valve drinkers are particularly suited to young and sensitive animals.
- Nipple drinkers are suitable for almost all animal types and categories.
- Tongue-operated drinkers are somewhat harder to use and are more often used for fattening animals.
When deciding, also consider whether the drinker suits individual or group housing, whether it can supply enough water per minute for your group, and whether it can be heated if installed in a cold barn.
Criteria for correct installation
The drinker type is only half the story; the other half is location and mounting. When planning, take the following into account:
- Adjust the drinker height to the size of the animals in the group.
- Where possible, place the drinker away from the feeding station, so feed does not get wet and the drinker does not get dirtied by feed.
- For loose or group housing, choose a location where animals do not obstruct each other while drinking.
- Protect the drinker from damage caused by animals stepping on it or pushing against it.
- Route water and electrical lines so they are protected from animal access.
A ball drinker or trough drinker is best mounted on a raised concrete base that extends roughly 30 cm beyond the sides of the drinker on each side, with the water level set at roughly 60 to 80 cm. For cattle, sheep and goats, typical mounting heights range from about 40 to 80 cm depending on the size and age of the animals, while for horses these values are correspondingly higher, up to around 1.45 to 1.80 m.
In loose housing, it makes sense to position the drinker so it is accessible from several sides and so that slower or lower-ranking animals in the herd hierarchy are not pushed away from the drinking point. This matters especially in group housing, where a single, poorly accessible drinker can become a bottleneck for the whole herd.
Standards worth keeping in mind
Planning a watering system means considering not just animal needs but also the relevant technical and safety requirements: electrical standards and earthing regulations, regulations on electrical installations in agriculture, drinking water regulations and requirements from local water suppliers, national and local safety regulations, and health, safety and fire protection rules. This is not just a formality, it is what keeps the system reliable and safe for animals and people alike over the long term.
Need advice?
PATURA is a German manufacturer of watering systems for cattle, sheep, goats and horses, and Kancler Sistem Pro is its Slovenian partner for sales and installation.
Send us your herd size and make-up through the contact form, and we will suggest how many drinkers you need and where to put them.