Standing in the Cold No More… or at Least Less Often

When the forecast calls for freezing rain, snow, and wind, it doesn’t take long for exposed water troughs and tanks to freeze in the Ozarks. Without proper protection, faucets and hoses quickly become unusable and getting water to the herd becomes a cold, miserable chore.

It’s no secret that water is one of the most important nutrients for people and our cattle. Bodily functions like digestion, temperature, and blood pressure regulation rely on water and just a 10% water loss can be fatal. In cool weather a 1000-lb cow needs more than 20 gallons of water per day. So, to keep more than 40 cattle and their calves alive, we equip our waterers with electric heaters; but, that doesn’t protect the faucets or the hoses. This means we usually have to bundle up morning, noon, and night, to break ice and refill water tanks by hand.

When preparing the herd for this winter, I asked my husband if there was anything we could do to keep from standing in the weather waiting for tanks to fill. A quick trip to our local feed store and he discovered the Freeze Miser.

The manager at the MFA told us that unlike winter faucet covers or the drip method, the Freeze Miser releases small amounts of water when the temperature drops below 37 degrees Fahrenheit. This technology is supposed to protect the faucet from freezing, even in the most extreme conditions.

Willing to try anything to keep warm, we made our purchase and installed the Freeze Miser ahead of our first storm of the season. When we went to bed on a night forecasted to reach a wind chill of negative 40 degrees, we crossed our fingers and our toes and prayed we didn’t wake up to a broken faucet.

The next morning we bundled up from head-to-toe and held our breath as we drove out to the waterer. To our astonishment, this little addition to our faucet worked as advertised! The faucet was dripping and the water tank was full of water available to the cows. It survived three more days of below freezing temperatures and negative wind chill.

This life- and time-saving device kept our animals watered and my husband from freezing. If you live in a cold climate, like ours, I highly recommend looking into this technology for your exterior faucets. It’s not just for farms, ranches, or livestock.

To learn more about the Freeze Miser and how it works visit www.freezemiser.com.