Many cattle producers are well aware of the ins and outs of proper water management for the health of their livestock, but getting back to the basics and refreshing your understanding of water management yield tidbits that may be completely new.

In this edition of “From the Field,” American Angus Association regional managers David Gazda, Trevor Haney and Reese Tuckwiller share common watering methods in their regions, concerns related to illness and water contamination, as well as opportunities to safeguard your herd’s water sources.

The norm

While cattlemen may be familiar with how water is managed in their region, learning how fellow producers manage their water sources and the struggles they face should be a welcome learning experience. Whether troughs, ponds or flowing water, there are unique challenges and benefits to various watering methods.

For Haney, regional manager for Arkansas, Alabama, Louisiana and Mississippi, the source of water for cattle depends heavily on where you’re located within the region.

“We have a pretty good mix with quite a few people using trough waterers plumbed into either city water or well water, depending on the area,” Haney says. “We also have our fair share of stock ponds spread throughout the area, too.”

Having options depending on the location of pasture is a benefit to producers, offering the ability to choose what works best for that unique property and the cattle themselves.

Tuckwiller, regional manager for the Northeast, says that many producers in his region are blessed with existing water sources, but an action plan should to be in place for properties in need of additional infrastructure.

“I don’t know the exact percentages, but the vast majority [of water for cattle] would be spring-fed or from a stream or pond,” he says, noting the alternative would be to hook into a city water supply. “I’d say there’s a lot more cattle than I’m probably aware of that are on city water because we’ve got a metropolitan area an hour and a half in any direction.”

In Florida, Georgia and South Carolina, Gazda feels watering cattle has changed during the last two decades throughout his territory. Fifteen years ago, he says, the majority of cattle would have drunk from a pond, creek or some other natural source.

“I think now it’s fairly split,” Gazda says. “I would actually start leaning towards more people watering their stock out of these permanent options, whether that’s a plastic tank, a concrete tank or some other type of manmade arrangement.”