🐄 Livestock Water Tank Sizer
Recommended Tank Size
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Select species and enter head count
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Always size for peak summer demand. A 100-head beef herd needs 1,000 gal/day in April and 1,800+ gal/day in July. A system adequate in spring can fail critically in a summer heat wave. This calculator uses hot-weather figures where selected.
Daily Water Requirements by Species
| Species | Mild Weather | Hot Weather (90°F+) | Planning Figure | Key Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beef cattle (dry cow/bull) | 7–12 gal/hd | 13–20 gal/hd | 15 gal/hd | Size for summer always |
| Dairy cows (peak lactation) | 25–35 gal/hd | 35–50 gal/hd | 45 gal/hd | 4–5 gal water per gal milk |
| Horses | 8–12 gal/hd | 12–20+ gal/hd | 15 gal/hd | More if heavily worked |
| Sheep / goats | 1–3 gal/hd | 2–4 gal/hd | 3 gal/hd | Lactating ewes need more |
| Swine (finishing) | 3–6 gal/hd | 6–10 gal/hd | 7 gal/hd | Water for thermoregulation |
| Swine (lactating sows) | 5–8 gal/hd | 8–14 gal/hd | 10 gal/hd | Highest per-head swine demand |
| Laying hens (per 100 birds) | 6–9 gal | 12–20 gal | 15 gal/100 | Waterer failure = rapid mortality |
| Broilers (per 100 birds) | 5–12 gal | 15–30 gal | 20 gal/100 | Demand rises sharply with age |
Tank Sizing for Common Operations
| Operation | Daily Demand (hot) | 3-Day Reserve | Recommended Tank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 beef cattle | 180 GPD | 540 gal | 500-gal poly |
| 25 beef cattle | 450 GPD | 1,350 gal | 1,500-gal poly |
| 50 beef cattle | 900 GPD | 2,700 gal | 3,000-gal poly |
| 100 beef cattle | 1,800 GPD | 5,400 gal | Two 5,000-gal tanks |
| 20 dairy cows | 1,080 GPD | 3,240 gal | 5,000-gal poly |
| 10 horses | 180 GPD | 540 gal | 500-gal poly |
| 100 sheep/goats | 360 GPD | 1,080 gal | 1,000-gal poly |
| 500 laying hens | 90 GPD | 270 gal | 300-gal poly |