Installing an outdoor drinking trough
No matter the season, a herd must be able to satisfy their thirst. It’s why we need to be able to rely on foolproof, well installed and performing drinking troughs 12 months out of a year.
« Drinking troughs must be installed in a disciplined manner. There is no room for improvisation. », says the Gallagher district manager, who has been offering Miraco drinkers for more than a dozen years.
Main water line tubes, from the barn to the trough, must be one (1) inch in diameter – not ½ inch nor ¾ inch. This diameter will guarantee an adequate flow and constant water level in the trough, meeting the needs of the herd.
Water piping must be buried at least four (4) feet under the ground surface, and it’s strongly suggested that the line be buried at least one (1) foot underneath the frost line. Be aware – the distance of the frost line will depend on where you live!
Ideally, all troughs should be affixed to a concrete surface (see the diagram below) and sheltered from the wind. The main water line must be positioned at the center of the platform. Should there be no possibility of a flat surface, the trough will be unstable, and the main water line risks being damaged by any animal accessing the water point.
The district manager recommends a 4 to 6 inch thick concrete slab with an 18 inch perimeter around the trough. Generally, bovines will place their front legs on the slab to drink. Since space will be limited, the animals won’t be able to accidentally defecate in the trough once they have assuaged their thirst, as their hinds will not fit on the slab.
Active in the agricultural sector since 1974, Miraco is the first company to market an automatic drinker made entirely of polymer. Miraco drinkers are available in an insulated version, with or without a heating element, and have been rigorously tested and able to withstand temperatures as low as -40°C. The company offers many models, capacities ranging from 4.5 to 500 liters (1 to 110 gal) and lengths varying from 0.3 to 4.2 meter (1 to 14 feet), to quench the thirst in cows, sheep, goats, horses or swine. An important mention: chose a drinking trough that is adapted to the size of your herd rather than adapt the herd to the trough.
All Miraco drinking troughs have a 5 year warranty and resist impacts since the polyethylene material is reinforced with a hardening fibre. No drinker or trough contains metal materials which removes any corrosion risk and since there are no sharp edges or squared edging, injuries to animals are far and few in between.
Schematisation, installing an outdoor drinking trough
Source : « Installing an outdoor drinking trough » Coopérateur. October 2018: page 50.