Joanna visits with Dr. Steve Higgins, Extension Director of Agriculture to discuss tire tanks for watering livestock.
While streams and ponds serve as a source for many operations, livestock can quickly degrade soil and water quality by trampling streambanks and defecating and urinating in and around waterbodies. These actions increase sediment, pathogen, and nutrient loads to streams, rivers, and lakes. Producers can implement best management practices (BMPs) to help protect the health of Kentucky’s soil and water. A water tank constructed using a heavy equipment tire may serve as a viable option for supplying livestock with an alternate source of water. A tire-tank waterer uses a loader, grader, dump truck, or similar OTR tire as the reservoir. Livestock have more access for drinking as compared to traditional automatic water fountains, due to the size of the tire. If this is your plan, you must first find the best location for your tire tank waterer. Installation of a tiretank requires few material inputs outside of a tire, inflow and outflow pipes, float valve, concrete, and rock. Once the tire tank is operational, monitor it to make sure the needs of animals are being met. For more information check out the publication “Tire Tanks for Watering Livestock, AEN-133” or visit your local extension office.
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Warren County Cooperative Extension Service
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