Case Study: Monitoring Water Levels and Water Quality in Southern Saskatchewan

Michelle Panko and Cam Patoine are livestock producers located south of Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan. In the summer, they strategically graze 150 cow-calf pairs on five different breeding pastures, rotating them throughout the grazing season. These producers are fortunate enough to have dugouts at each pasture that they utilize as water sources for their livestock.

Each dugout is fenced off, and they use solar-powered remote watering systems to supply water to their cattle. Michelle stated there were quite a few reasons why they decided to invest in remote watering systems. These reasons include improved water quality, increased gains, fewer herd health problems, and dugout protection.

Their Challenges

Even with the use of remote water systems, Michelle and Cam still had two major concerns when it came to their livestock’s water:

• Water Availability:
  • They worried that something might go wrong with one of their remote watering systems**, leaving their livestock without water.
  • On extremely hot days, they would drive to the pasture multiple times a day to check the water levels in their remote troughs, to ensure their livestock had enough water available to meet their needs.
• Water Quality:
  • Some of their water sources have a high sulphate concentration. This causes water quality to decline in late summer and early fall, especially during periods of extreme heat and low rainfall.
  • They typically utilize these water sources early in the grazing season, before the quality drops to an unsuitable level. However, they worried that the concentration of sulphates may rapidly increase while they are still using the water source.

Our Solution

Michelle and Cam had the opportunity to try out the HerdHand Monitor through the ADOPT (Agriculture Demonstration of Practices and Technology) Program run by the Saskatchewan Ministry of Agriculture. Through this program, they were able to test the effectiveness of using the HerdHand to monitor the water level, water quality (TDS Concentration), and battery voltage at one of their remote watering systems.

After completing the ADOPT Program, they decided that the HerdHand was a valuable tool for their operation. They wanted to purchase two additional monitoring devices for their other remote watering systems, but they were concerned that the cellular service in some of their pastures was too weak for the HerdHand to function properly.

The FarmSimple Team recommended two solutions to this problem.

• External Antenna Add-on: This add-on allows the HerdHand to capture a stronger cellular signal in locations with weak cellular service.
• Satellite-Connected HerdHand: This device is able to communicate data through satellite networks, which means it is able to work anywhere, including locations where there is no cellular signal available.

Michelle and Cam decided that the Satellite-Connected HerdHand was the perfect solution to their cellular coverage worries. The fact that it can function properly in locations where there is no cellular signal available made it easy for them to pull the trigger on purchasing two additional HerdHand Monitors.

The Results

Michelle and Cam couldn’t be more pleased with the performance of their HerdHand Monitors.

“Some of our pastures are 20 miles or more away, and the HerdHand gives us peace of mind (this is HUGE) that our cattle have water on those hot days, especially in pastures where there is no other water source.” -Michelle Panko

Being able to remotely monitor their livestock’s water means they don’t have to drive to each trough every day just to check water. This has saved them countless hours of labour and hundreds of dollars in fuel during the summer. Between having an off-farm job and the need to focus on other aspects of their operation, the time they save by monitoring their water couldn’t be more valuable.

“Using the HerdHand water monitoring devices from FarmSimple has been a game-changer for my cattle operation. I have three devices: one with cellular connectivity and two with satellite connectivity for my pastures that are over 20 miles away and lack cell service. Last summer, those devices gave me peace of mind, ensuring my cattle had water available on those hot days. I could focus on other important tasks like haying, instead of spending my time and fuel checking on my water systems. I also accessed program funding, which rebated half the cost. Highly recommend!” -Cam Patoine

On top of saving time, reducing fuel costs, and giving them peace of mind, the. HerdHand has also helped them make smarter management decisions on their operation. Utilizing the Water Quality Sensor on one of their HerdHand devices allows them to closely watch the levels of Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) in their water sources.

Their device is set up to alert them when the water quality drops to an unsuitable level for livestock consumption, so they can move their livestock to a different water source before it affects their herd’s health.

The FarmSimple App

For Michelle and Cam, the FarmSimple App is just as valuable as the HerdHand Monitor. They love that they are both able to view the data of their HerdHands from separate devices. This allows them both to quickly check the status of all three remote water systems at any time, so they can stay up to date with what’s happening on the farm, no matter where they are.

They also enjoy being able to view the changes in the water levels, water quality, and battery voltages of their water system with our Data Log Chart. This feature has given them new insights into their herd, such as their livestock’s daily drinking patterns.

“This also helps us know the exact time cattle are at the watering site for ease of checking, so we don’t have to check the whole pasture. It can also give peace of mind when there is a problem with the remote solar system, as you can see when the cattle last drank by checking the water level data log.”

Michelle and Cam quickly became huge advocates for the HerdHand. The value that the device brings to their operation is irreplaceable, and they would recommend it to any producer who uses remote watering systems.

Click Here to Learn More About Monitoring the Water on Your Livestock Operation!