Instead of ditch water, use self-made troughs for clean water for your cows

Joost Leiner operates a 155-hectare dairy farm in northwestern Germany, managing 180 cows on pasture with marsh and gley soils. To improve animal health and milk production, he replaced ditch water with a network of 115 troughs connected to municipal water via 2.5 km of pipework. Using repurposed IBC drums, he created a cost-effective, sustainable water supply system that enhances grazing management. Individual isolation valves allow maintenance without system-wide shutdowns. The solution reduces parasite risks, particularly liver fluke, and increases operational flexibility. Funded by the European Union, the project demonstrates practical, scalable improvements in pasture-based dairy farming.