Information gained from landholders
at WaterSmart Pastoral Production™ information days regarding
water point placement:
- Protect country by not placing watering point or stock camps in
valuable pastoral country
- New water point: 4km radius from existing points for better
pasture utilization and grazing pressure
- More watering points equals less stock congregation and
erosion
- Turn watering points on/off to allow good areas to regenerate
and utilize pasture more efficiently
- Use trap yards in conjunction with watering points to improve
stock control and management
- Place water points 250 metres from nearest shade to lessen
stock congregation and erosion
In extensive pastoral systems, animals concentrate grazing
around watering points. Sheep concentrate their grazing within 2.5
km of the watering point and cattle within 5 km. When animals are
required to walk further than this, they often expend more energy
than is gained from the forage consumed.
In large paddocks the distance of pasture from water can limit
carrying capacity. Strategic location of water points will use
available feed while reducing concentrated grazing pressure. If
stock require more water due to lactation, salinity or dry feed,
they may need to drink more than once a day. This will also reduce
their forage radius.
Optimal distance between water points is 5–8 km for sheep,
and up to 10 km for cattle. The expense of water development in
poorly watered areas could be justified by improved animal
performance and increased carrying capacity.
Figure below shows that strategic water point location can
maximise your grazing area. Within 5 km of a waterpoint in
open pasture the grazing area is 78 square kilometres, wheras
within 5 km of a waterpoint placed in the corner of a paddock the
grazing area is only 19 square kilometres.
Links to useful information on
stock water:
Fact sheets on water
http://www.nrw.qld.gov.au/factsheets/groups.php?group=Water
Fact sheets on
salinity
http://www.nrw.qld.gov.au/factsheets/groups.php?group=Salinity
Fact sheets on
drought
http://www.nrw.qld.gov.au/factsheets/groups.php?group=Drought
Stock water supply fact
sheets
http://www.agriculture.gov.au/nrm4.cfm?display2=Water&display3=Water%20supply&display4=Fact%20sheets
Stock water work book,
estimating costs etc
http://www.agric.wa.gov.au/pls/portal30/docs/FOLDER/IKMP/FM/RANGEMAN/
stockwaterworkbook.pdf
Managing stock in a riparian zone
http://www.rivers.gov.au/acrobat/techguidelines/tech_guide_vol2_chapg.pdf
