Module 2 — Planning Your Water System
Worksheet
Average Daily and Annual Water Requirements
The average daily and annual water requirement numbers can be used for estimating the amount of water used on a farm. The average daily
water requirements are based on typical average outside or in-barn temperatures that occur throughout the year. These numbers, however,
cannot be used for designing the water supplies and pumping capacity of a farm water system. For example, consider a beef feedlot on a hot
summer day. Feeder cattle will drink approximately twice the amounts shown in the table below. For this reason, the water supply and
pumping systems need to be designed to meet these peak demands.
Household use:
People
_______
x 60.0 gpd = ______________ gpd
Beef:
Animal
No. of
Size
Animals
Feeders
1
550
lb. _______ x 4.0 gpd = ______________ gpd feeders on silage
900
lb. _______ x 7.0 gpd = ______________ gpd feeders on silage
1250
lb. _______ x 10.0 gpd = ______________ gpd feeders on silage
Cows with Calves
2
1300
lb. _______ x 12.0 gpd = ______________ gpd on pasture or hay
Dry Cow
2
1300
lb. _______ x 10.0 gpd = ______________ gpd on pasture or hay
Calves
2
250
lb. _______ x 2.0 gpd = ______________ gpd on pasture or hay
1
For peak demand on hot summer days above 25°C, multiply gpd x 2
2
For peak demand on hot summer days above 25°C, multiply gpd x 1.5
Swine:
3
Animal
No. of
Size
Animals
Farrow-Finish
4
_______
x 20.0 gpd = ______________ gpd
Farrow-Late Wean
4
50
lb. _______ x 6.5 gpd = ______________ gpd
Farrow-Early Wean
4
15
lb. _______ x 5.5 gpd = ______________ gpd
Feeder
50-250
lb. _______ x 1.5 gpd = ______________ gpd
Weaner
15-50
lb. _______ x 0.5 gpd = ______________ gpd
Sub Total ______________ gpd
3
Includes wash water for all types of swine operations.
4
No. of animals = No. of breeding sows.
*
Store the completed worksheet in the back pocket.
gpd = gallons per day