Benefits of Monitoring Remote Livestock Water Systems

When you use a remote water system to provide water to your livestock in the pasture, they rely on you to ensure they have water available 24/7. For most producers, this results in them driving to the pasture daily to manually check water. While this is the most common way for producers to check water, there are more efficient ways to get the job done.

There has been a rise in the use of remote water monitoring systems. These devices can be used to check the status of remote water systems and alert you during critical events. Keep reading to discover how these devices, specifically the HerdHand Monitor, can benefit your livestock operation.

Benefits Of Remote Water Monitoring

1. Saves Time

Checking remote watering systems can become a time-consuming job. Depending on the number of troughs you need to check and their locations, you can easily spend half of your day checking water.

Remote monitoring devices reduce the number of trips you need to take to the pasture by allowing you to check the status of your water systems from your phone, saving you hours of labour every day. While these devices are not designed to replace physical water checks completely, they do allow you to skip the trip to the pasture a few times a week.

2. Reduces Expenses

You may not realize it, but the cost of manually checking water can add up quickly. Between fuel use, vehicle depreciation, and labour expenses, the average livestock producer can spend up to $3000 just from checking water.

Reducing the number of times you check water in a week not only saves you time but also saves you money. Producers who use remote water monitoring devices see an increase in their operation’s bottom line in the first year of use.

If you’re interested in finding out how much money you spend every month on checking water, use our Cost Calculator.

3. Prevents Unknown Water Outages

Most producers only have time to check water once a day, but when there’s an unexpected problem at the trough, it can leave your livestock without water for hours. These situations can quickly become dangerous for your livestock, especially during the extreme heat.

Remote water monitors are not only useful for checking water, but devices like the HerdHand will also send you a text message alert when your cows are out of water. This will help you identify small issues before they turn into big problems for you and your livestock.

4. Gives You Peace of Mind

While using remote water systems has plenty of benefits, the biggest downside to them is that you don’t know if your livestock has water available when you’re away from the pasture. This can cause added stress for you, especially during the busier times of the year.

Nothing will bring you more peace of mind on your livestock operation than using a water monitoring device. No matter where you are or what you’re doing, you can check the status of your livestock’s water. So whether you’re in the field haying or taking a trip to the lake for the weekend, you can always be sure your cows have water.

5. Detects Issues Early

As mentioned above, undetected issues can cause water outages for your livestock. Some problems may even cause damage to your water system, resulting in hours of labour and thousands of dollars in repairs to get things flowing again. Luckily, there are monitoring devices that can detect all types of problems with your water system.

For example, the HerdHand can monitor more than just water levels. It can monitor:

• Water Pressure
• Temperature
• Water Quality (TDS)
• Battery Voltage
• Power
• and More!

If the HerdHand detects any issues with these metrics, it will send you a text message alert notifying you of the problem. Knowing the instant there is a problem can be the difference between a quick repair and needing to replace your entire system.

Monitoring devices like the HerdHand make checking your livestock’s water easier than ever and reduce stress for you and your livestock. Contact us to learn more about monitoring your livestock’s water with a HerdHand Monitor!