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December 17, 2025 - Winter Water Source

The frosty debate surrounding snow as a winter water source.

As winter’s icy grip tightens and producers crack into their feed reserves, ensuring livestock have access to a reliable water source is crucial. With this topic, an age-old debate resurfaces – are all winter water sources created equal?

Water is the most vital nutrient for livestock. Accounting for 50 to 80 per cent of an animal's live weight, cattle need to be able to access an adequate amount of quality water to meet their physiological needs; water is needed to regulate body temperature and function, aid in feed intake and digestion, prevent dehydration, promote fetal development, and maintain milk production.

There is a common misconception that when temperatures drop so does cattle water requirements. In reality, the opposite is true. There is a strong correlation between water and feed intake in cattle. As cattle eat more in the winter to help generate more body heat, they will also drink more. This means that livestock watering is just as critical in winter as it is in the warmer months.

So where does the debate with winter watering start? It begins and ends with snow. 

Some producers swear up and down that their animals thrive with snow as a primary water source. Others are adamant that no, snow should only be considered as a supplemental option for reaching water requirements.

What is the right answer? As is the case with most issues of debate, the answer is largely opinion-driven and dependent on several factors; location, management styles, herd sizes, and finances are a few to name. 

Snow as a sole watering source may not necessarily be wrong, but it is likely not considered best practice for most livestock operations. As is expressed by the Beef Cattle Research Council (BCRC), “snow is not always a reliable water source. It is not always there, it is not always clean, and sometimes it is frozen too hard for cattle to eat.” 

Winter swath or bale grazing is where we most commonly see snow being used as a sole water source. As cattle push through snow to reach the feed, they consume some snow with each mouthful. The snow then melts in the rumen, which provides some water for the cow.

Several sources, including a publication from the Province of Manitoba, reveal that 10 centimeters of snow is needed to get one centimeter of water. This means that a significant amount of snow must be consumed in conjunction with feeding to ensure that nutrient requirements are being met.

The Code of Practice for the Care and Handling of Beef Cattle outlines how snow must not be used as a sole water source for cattle that are lactating, newly weaned, have a body condition score of less than two-and-a-half out of five, or don’t have access to optimal feed resources.

While there is research that shows that snow can be the sole source of water in some cases, it still requires careful management that may only be suitable for some operations. It is important that snow being consumed is not trampled or contaminated, and that there always be a plan “B” on how water can be accessed by or provided to livestock.

Depending on location and available water sources, winter watering options may include heated automatic waterers, stock tanks with tank de-icers, solar watering systems, or insulated frost-free setups like buried or geothermal waterers.

Ultimately, each operation is unique with different nutrition management expectations. It is important to create a winter watering program that supports animal health and the practical realities of your operation.