Water Systems Calculator

The following Economics of Water Systems Calculator allows beef cattle producers to:

  • compare the costs and benefits of installing three different watering systems on a cow-calf operation 
  • evaluate the costs and benefits of installing five different watering systems to use with yearling grassers 
  • determine how long it will take to pay off any of these livestock water systems on an individual operation 

Fecal contamination of water from cattle with direct access reduces the palatability and consumption of the water. Access to clean pumped water can improve herd health, increase weight gain and increase backfat.

Cow-calf: Research by Lardner et al. (2005) reported that suckling calves whose dams drank from water troughs gained on average 0.09 lbs per day more than calves whose dams had direct access to the dugout. Calves with access to clean pumped water were on average 18 lbs heavier at weaning time. Water and forage intake are closely related so as cows drink more water, they spend more time eating and therefore produce more milk for their calves. *

Yearling Grassers: Lardner also found that yearling steers had 8-9% higher weight gain when they had access to water that had been coagulated or aerated before it was pumped compared to steers that only had direct access to dugout water. Steers with access to untreated pumped dugout water gained 3% more weight than steers with direct dugout access. Based on results of Lardner et al. (2005), the below water system calculator was developed to estimate the potential economic benefits and costs of alternative watering systems compared to direct access to dugout water.

More details, calculator assumptions, scenario examples and references are available in the Canfax Research Services fact sheet: Economics of Water Systems (March 2018)

Economics of Water Systems Calculator

Enter values into the yellow boxes., other cells are formula driven.

Producer Information – Cow-Calf


     
      
      
1500

$

Water System Information

Well

 

     
Trough

     
Storage Tank

The storage tank is a separate item if you want one day’s worth of water available to the trough.


 

     

     

Windmill Pump System Solar-powered Pump System Underground Pipe System
Price Units Price Units Price Units
Windmill Pump
(incl. windmill, steel tower, plastic pipe, windmill pump cylinder and battery)
(check the box to use default price or enter your own numbers in the yellow cells)


Solar-powered Pump
(incl. solar panel, pump, plastic pipe, battery and miscellaneous hardware)
(check the box to use default price or enter your own numbers in the yellow cells)


Underground Pipe
(incl. trenching and pipe, hook-ups, tank)
(check the box to use default price or enter your own numbers in the yellow cells)


Total Initial Cost $ Total Initial Cost $ Total Initial Cost $
Maintenance Cost ($/year)
(enter your number in the yellow cell or check the box to use default maintenance cost)


  – Use Default Maintenance Cost (0.05% of total initial)
Maintenance Cost ($/year)
(enter your number in the yellow cell or check the box to use default maintenance cost)


  – Use Default Maintenance Cost (0.05% of total initial)
Maintenance Cost ($/year)
(enter your number in the yellow cell or check the box to use default maintenance cost)


  – Use Default Maintenance Cost (0.05% of total initial)

Potential Additional Weight Gain – Pumped Water vs. Direct Access

While there are many potential herd health and environmental benefits from utilizing a watering system, the main economic benefit is the potential increase in weight gain.

The following is based on research by Lardner et al. (2005), which analyzed the results of pumped water versus direct access over two periods, early summer (Period 1) and late summer (Period 2).

Lardner’s research found that pumping water without treating it (via aeration or coagulation) appeared to be the most effective option for cows and calves.


(May 23-Jul 31)

(Aug 1-Sept 30)
69
61
130
0.33
0.44
 
22.77

26.84

49.61

0.15
0.09
 
10.65

5.38

16.03

23.21


11.73

34.94

*Source:Lardner et al. (2005)

Cow – Calf Results

  Benefit

(per pair per year)
Estimated Initial Cost

(per pair)
Maintenance Cost

(per pair per year)
Number of Years to Pay off Initial Cost

(excluding Maintenance)
Net Benefits in 5 Years

(per pair)
Net Benefits in 7 Years

(per pair)
Windmill Pump

years

Solar-powered Pump

years

Underground Pipe

years

Water System Cost/Benefit for Cow – Calf Herd

Number of Years to Pay Off Initial Cost

Net Benefit in 5 Years

Net Benefit in 7 Years

More details, calculator assumptions, scenario examples and references are available in the Canfax Research Services fact sheet: Economics of Water Systems (March 2018)

  • It is important to note that while a numerical difference was observed in this trial these results were not found to be significantly significant.

Click here to download the Excel Version of this Calculator