The mercury is climbing at Ag in Motion near Saskatoon, Sask., but winter is coming. And those bone-chilling temperatures bring all kinds of challenges around watering livestock.
For those tired of sick of cutting ice and looking for a lower-cost alternative, Lee Smith has a solution. The Water Box is a livestock waterer producers can insert through the ice of a dugout, slough or slow-moving creek. Once frozen in place, cattle can flip a lid near the ice surface and drink their fill. A chain inside the water box pops out any ice so the cow can drink. Once the cow is done, the lid closes, keeping the water hole relatively clear of ice — although Smith recommends checking it daily, and cleaning away any ice buildup in front of the waterer, as well as any inside. It’s portable and requires no power, making it ideal for remote locations.
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The Consort, Alta., rancher wanted a waterer that would help out his parents, who were “getting up there in age,” and provide access to water throughout the day, without requiring constant checking and ice-cleanout. He didn’t want cows crowding around the water hole, risking a slip or a fall through the ice, and that meant a device that reliabley kept the water hole open.
“It makes the water available to drink 24/7 and the cows can go back and forth and it eliminates that frenzy to go for water,” he says.
Over about 10 years, he created about 19 models, using them on his family’s operation. Then, in 2021, he launched the Water Box, receiving an Award of Distinction for Innovation from Alberta Farm Animal Care. Since then, Smith has also launched a couple of models for bison. The Water Box also comes with a mineral insert, which also helps train the herd to use it.
This is the first time Smith has been at Ag in Motion. Producers can find him in Livestock Central. Ag in Motion is on now, from July 16-18, 2024.
