letters to the editor

More Free Ways To Keep Livestock Water From Freezing

Fill several old inner tubes about half full of water, so they won’t blow away, finish airing them up and throw them in the stock tank. You can either let them float, the wind will usually keep them close to one edge or the other. If your prefer you can anchor them to the sides, especially if you are watering different pastures out of the same tank. The heat from the black tube will keep ice from freezing in the center of the tube providing a drinking hole.

Mike

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Here in northern Arizona it’s not as cold but still can get down close to zero. I just put some small fish in the stock tank. They keep the water moving and eat any algae that grows in the summer.

Mr. Eman

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Live in northern Nevada. Winters are brutal. I raise horses. So a big black industrial grade 40-gallon trash can, can water 2-4 horses in the winter. The secret is to put the “waterer” in a sunny location first. Then search around and find some truck tires no longer in use. They have to be big enough to fit over any trash can you use. You can fill the inner part of the tire with any kind of insulation, then use strips of 4 mil black plastic sheeting and spray on adhesive to seal the insulated tire. Then stack the insulated tires over the trash can, tall enough to cover the trash can but still leave about 4-6 inches of dead air space at the top of the tires. Put a lid or cover on the trash can and fill the inside between the trash can and black plastic sealed tire with sand or manure if you like. The lid keeps you from fouling the water and filling up the trash can with sand or whatever. You can use small road base gravel also. This heat sink from the sun, sand, gravel or manure and tires will keep your water from freezing down to about 5 degrees Fahrenheit outside temperature. Don’t forget to take off the lid to the trash can.

Tim