Watering livestock on remote pastures has always been a challenge for Island farmers.
Since the industry and government have agreed to eliminate access of cattle to watercourses by September of this year, the matter has taken on a greater urgency. Alex Dixon feels he has the answer to the puzzle-- the sun.
With assistance from the Prince Edward Island ADAPT Council which administers funding from the Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada CARD Program, the Prince Edward Island Soil and Crop Improvement Association decided to try a solar watering system on two farms on a pilot basis. Dixon eagerly signed up in 1999 and is so far pleased with the results.
"We pasture a lot of livestock and we try to pasture them for a long season," Alex explained. "We have a lot of pastures that are bisected and up-fronted by streams."
The solar powered system has been operating for two years and Alex said it has been trouble free. The summer of 2000 proved to be a big test with below average amounts of sunshine but the system was able to handle the task.
Spurred on by that success, Alex modified the system slightly in the fall of 2000 so it could provide water to the cattle until freeze-up. He said this past summer the stream level feeding the system did drop some with the drought-like conditions, but "it wasn't too critical-- we have a pretty decent stream here to feed from."
The system consists of two 85 watt solar panels that charge a pair of six volt batteries. A controller, which is also solar powered, makes sure the batteries are not overcharged or blow by discharging the power too quickly. The water flow is controlled by a submersible bilge pump, 150 gallon stock tank and a float switch.
In addition to the environmental and wildlife concerns about cattle watering in streams and rivers, Tyler Wright said studies have shown cattle do better when an alternative watering method is used. The general manager of the Soil and Crop Association explained "if you can provide more water stations in the fields, the cattle will drink a lot more water." Wright said the average cost of establishing the fencing and the watering system is in the range of $6,000.
There is a 10-15 foot buffer zone along the brook of the Dixon property to prevent any run-off from reaching the water. Wright said the next challenge is to establish a solar powered system that will water the cattle year-round. He explained the float switch is currently frost-proof.
Alex said the cost of running electrical lines and digging a well to service the cattle in that location would have been too prohibitive. He said the pasture is ideal for both spring and fall pasturing because it is sheltered.
"I have no problem recommending it to others for a situation such as this," Alex said. "It's still new technology but it is working well."
This article is one of a series prepared for the Prince Edward Island Agriculture Awareness Committee to highlight innovations in the agriculture industry.