Fences, Filters and Eavestroughs: Innovative Water Initiatives to Improve Herd Health

Brian Windover and his son, Scott, own and operate Bayview Farms in Napanee, Ontario. Their operation includes a 90-head commercial Gelbvieh and Gelbvieh x Charolais cattle herd that is Verified Beef Production Plus (VBP+) Certified.  

The farm includes 250 acres of pastureland with both treed and open fence lines. Two of the pastures border Hay Bay, a bay of Lake Ontario, and are fenced off to deny cattle access to the bay. 

Maintaining good water quality has always been a top priority for Bayview Farms, leading them to implement several changes to reduce manure contamination and ensure an abundant supply of drinking water for their cattle. 

A Stock Water Quality Issue

The main source of drinking water for the cattle comes from a spring-fed pond which feeds a well. Water is pumped from the well into troughs in the barn. Cattle are kept away from the pond with a dirt berm and concrete barriers. Despite this, Brian and Scott still noticed that the water was discoloured and smelly, particularly after heavy rainfall. 

Over time, as the farm changed and buildings were modified, more manure built up in the barn yard. A low point developed near the barn and close to the pond, where water pooled. The manure contaminated the surface water, which leached through the ground and affected the water quality in both the pond and the well.