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Economical Livestock Tank 

 March 17, 2021

If any of you have been to our farm, you have seen our non-traditional livestock watering tanks. This was a design that I learned about and utilized in Nebraska years ago, and have adopted at our place in Texas.

The obvious advantage is they are very economical to build due to the fact many feed stores that apply fertilizers, or tire companies have used tires that are very worn or punctured where they can not use any more. They are usually more than happy to give these tires away versus having to pay to dispose of them.

Other advantages include the fact that they are indestructible; we use ours in our bull pen where nothing else can survive. Parts are very basic and can be found at most Ace Hardwares, Lowe’s, Home Depot’s, or even Amazon. The thick rubber walls provide insulation to prevent or reduce freezing depending on how extreme the temperatures are.

I have included a link to a video John Deere put out on constructing one:

https://youtu.be/vUaJOXagZDU

Just a couple of tips I have

  • Use a cross fence or barrier to prevent livestock from standing in the tank
  • When using smaller tires, use concrete for the apron around the tank to prevent movement. Large tires have the weight of the water to prevent movement.
  • In cold winter regions, electrical receptacles for tank heaters are advantageous. Heating coils in the center concrete also works very well.
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