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"Freeze-Proof" Waterer Needs No Electricity
As an Alberta cattle rancher, David Flundra appreciates the 8 Thermosink energy-free livestock watering systems he has installed on his ranch. He liked them so much he became a dealer for the watering system, which was developed by an Alberta Hutterite colony.
  “Zero cost to operate is the most important advantage,” Flundra says about the fountain system that doesn’t require electricity. He estimates he saves $2 a day per waterer for the electricity it costs to run most systems.
  He also appreciates Thermosink’s easy installation and minimal maintenance requirements.
  “Anyone with a backhoe can install them,” he says, adding that unlike other systems no concrete is needed.
  The 8 1/2-ft., insulated tubs are buried with about 20 in. of the fountain above ground. Directions on the website show how to hook up the water supply line with flexible hose. When properly installed and maintained, the water line doesn’t freeze.
  Water is piped into a main tank that has a water line and float. Water then flows to a single bowl or 2-bowl tank. The single bowl waters up to 200 head of livestock and also works well in a confinement area. The double bowl system waters more than 200 and can also be set up with one bowl on each side of a fence.
  Made of heavy-duty crosslink polyethylene, there aren’t any rusting parts, and the system is easy to maintain. Self-circulation keeps water fresh year-round, but when not needed, it can be turned off with an external shutoff.
  Thermosink has been shipped as far north as the Yukon Territories and is popular with ranchers in northern U.S. states. The fountain-style waterer works well for cattle, elk, sheep, bison, donkeys and other livestock.
  “Some customers have 8 to 12 of them,” Flundra says. “Some Thermosinks are more than a mile away from the pumping system.”
  He adds that they also work with gravity if a spring is at a higher elevation.
  Costs vary according to distance from the manufacturer, but in Alberta it runs $1,400 for the single bowl system and $1,700 for the double bowl system.
  Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Thermosink, Cattle Creek Ranching Ltd., P.O. Box 1453, Medicine Hat, Alta., Canada T1A 7N4 (ph 403 502-4776; www.Thermosink.com).



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2012 - Volume #36, Issue #6