Waterer Makes Cows Do Own Pumping

Waterer Makes Cows Do Own Pumping LIVESTOCK Beef 17-3-3 You can get fresh, clean water to livestock on pasture without electricity and prevent damage to stream banks, ditch edges and ponds, say manufacturers of a new pasture pump that lets cows draw their own water by activating a small diaphragm pump with their nose. Orignally developed in Europe, the Pasture Pump has been available on a limited basis in North America over the past few years but has always been hard to get, ac-cording to Rajat Bhatnagar of Rife Mfg. Co., which recently started manufacturing the unit in Montgomeryville, Penn. Made out of heavy-duty, lightweight cast alumimum parts, the waterer is easy to set up and move as needed. It'll pull water from up to 126 ft. away and lift it as much as 26 ft. from a well or pond. Each stroke of the pump delivers 7/8ths pint of water. One pump can supply the needs of up to 30 cows. "They figure out how to use it almost immediately since the movement needed to activate the pump lever is a natural one for them. They nudge the lever back with their nose, which activates the diaphragm pump, pulling water in. As they drink, they keep nudging the lever to get all the water they want," says Bhatnagar. Sells for $395. Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Rife Manufacturing Co., P.O. Box 857PI, Montgomeryville, Penn. 18936 (ph 800 743-3726 or 215 699-8870).

To read the rest of this story, download this issue below or click here to register with your account number.