Choosing the Perfect Water Trough for Your Farm

If you are raising livestock, then a cattle trough is an essential piece of equipment on your farm. Deciding which water troughs are right for your animals is an important decision and not one that you can afford to get wrong, as it can seriously affect the welfare of your animals.

With such a variety of water troughs available for purchase, it is not always easy to decide which trough you should buy. You want a trough that is not just suitable for the immediate needs of your animals but which will provide quality service for many years to come. The are several factors you will need to consider when making your choice

What material should your trough be?

Water troughs can be made from steel, plastic, or concrete. Each choice has possible advantages, so consider carefully which one is right for you. Plastic is ideal if you want a temporary trough or if you need something that can be moved easily, but for a longer-lasting solution, steel or concrete can be great all-weather choices that can provide a long working life for your trough.

What size trough do you need?

Choosing the correctly sized trough is about more than counting up your animals and seeing how you can fit them around the trough. Water troughs are a substantial investment that need to provide long years of service. You are buying a trough now that you hope will still be in use for years to come, so take some time to draw up projections of the number of animals you expect to have in five or ten years' time. Talk to your supplier and to those farmers with a similar number of animals to yourself, and find out what size trough they would suggest. Perhaps you could consider purchasing a design of trough that will allow you to add on length in the future if it's required?

How safe is your trough?

Safety is important in every aspect of farm work. Water troughs may not appear to be potentially dangerous, but if you choose the wrong material, you could be endangering your animals. Plastic water troughs may be cheaper and more portable than other materials, but they can pose serious risks over time. Prolonged exposure to weather extremes can cause plastic to become brittle and break, resulting in sharp edges that might cause injury to your livestock.

Supplying your trough

How will your water trough be filled up? If you aren't certain how, then it can be worthwhile to meet with the supplier to find out what options are available to you. Professional trough installers can explain about the relevant legislation and how your new trough will comply with all the rules. They will be able to talk you through the ways your trough can be filled, whatever the prevailing weather.

Talking through each of these issues with your supplier is the most effective way to find the perfect water trough for your farm. To learn more, contact a company like Tanks Direct.