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Newberry Alternative Livestock Water Program
| Name | William B. Smith | | Situation | Many livestock growers around the state have areas that they would like to graze, but no economically viable way to provide water to those areas. Cost-share programs and other incentives may not provide enough additional capital to provide a reasonable return for the investment. Increasing concern for water quality issues also points to removal of livestock access from running water bodies, most often in areas with no ready access to power. | | Response | A Newberry livestock grower requested assistance in developing an alternative watering system. The grazing area in question was too remote for electrical power to be economically routed, and conventional gasoline engine-powered pumps requiring attention and maintenance were not attractive. Jay Crouch, county agent in Newberry, referred the grower to me, helping set up a meeting so that we could investigate the situation.
Based on our conversations, the grower installed a hydraulic ram pumping system based on our web-based plans (http://www.clemson.edu/irrig). The system pumped approximately 0.3 gallons per minute up a 15 foot elevation to a standard watering trough, which was located some 150 feet from the water source. | | Impact | The grower scheduled a meeting for the county Livestock Association on the farm on October 4, 2006, touring the installation. I provided information concerning the pump construction, livestock watering considerations, and potential concerns. Two tours were conducted totaling approximately 35 growers. All of the growers showed considerable interest, with several indicating they may consider a similar system. Others indicated that the information provided had given them a new idea for their own livestock facility, utilizing existing
infrastructure with some additional piping and water trough placement. |
Last update8/15/2007
This website is maintained by Bryan Smith.
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