As temperatures soar during New Zealand’s dry season, ensuring an adequate water supply for livestock becomes essential for productivity and animal health. Water is not just a basic need for livestock – it is a key driver of growth, milk production, and overall farm profitability.
RXP, a leader in sustainable water management solutions, is helping dairy farmers improve stock water infrastructure, combining expert design services with sustainable product innovation.
Why stock water matters
The connection between stock water and productivity is clear and proven.
“High-producing cows drink more water than average or low producers. Inadequate water leads to reduced milk solids in herds and poor weight gains in young stock, even when adequate feed is available,” explains RXP Technical Support Engineer Tony Atwool.
In summer, the problem intensifies as moisture in grass diminishes, making water from troughs the primary source for livestock hydration. For optimal health and productivity, each cow requires a reliable water supply capable of meeting peak demands. For instance, 400 dairy cows can consume up to 28,000 litres of water during a peak four-hour drinking window.
“There can be big weight gains if everything is in their favour, but stock needs water as well as food for that to happen. It all comes down to having an adequate stock water design to get water where it needs to be,” Tony says.
The importance of proper design
Dairy farming in New Zealand has seen a trend of farm amalgamations, with smaller family farms merging into larger economic units, but Tony says stock water systems are often neglected.
“Many farms inherit outdated systems designed for smaller herds. And when herd sizes double or triple, the old water infrastructure is inadequate.”
To future-proof water systems, RXP offers a comprehensive design service that considers current and future herd sizes, topography and water sources.
“With tools like Google Earth and farm maps, we can design systems remotely, overlaying topographical data to ensure water reaches every paddock,” says Tony.
His team of experts, with a combined 70 years of experience, works closely with farmers to address their unique challenges, providing a tailored solution that includes pipes, troughs, tanks, and fittings – all delivered in one seamless process. This holistic approach ensures farmers can maximise productivity without the stress of piecemeal upgrades.
Sustainability in focus
RXP’s commitment to sustainability is another reason farmers are turning to them for their stock water solutions. As part of the Aliaxis Group, RXP has spearheaded a multimillion-dollar recycling initiative in partnership with Plastics Recycling New Zealand.
James McEwan, National Rotational Moulding Manufacturing Manager at RXP, highlights the environmental benefits of this initiative.
“We take internal and external scrap back into the factory and process that back through the product. Any plastic we can actually reprocess back into product rather than going to landfill is a massive win for us and it’s a massive win for the environment,” he says.
“We also get the product independently certified so we know the quality standards are going to be maintained.”
RXP recently won certification to Operation Clean Sweep, an international programme helping ensure that no plastic product enters waterways and the external environment.
Contact your local TSR or drop into a Farm Source store and to find out more about the RXP stock water design service.