With my terrain, well location and budget I decided to put in one very reliable year around waterer, There is no way I could do quick disconnects in this climate and terrain. This waterer has three lanes which come together here. The lanes toa single Petersen concrete waterer work well for me. I have no experience with the non electric types, just did not want to take a chance. I 'm not there to check on them every day. While a great neighbor keeps an eye on them, he can't be fussing with ice. It has to work.

I decided to pour a complete concrete pad, sloping 2% downhill for cleanout, for the waterer area with a smaller, level, raised pad about 12" larger than the waterer base. The cattle will put their front hooves on the raised pad as shown in the photo but will not (so far) put their rear hooves on it. The Petersen has a large cleanout rubber plug which works well.

For cost and terrain reasons the entire waterer area is fairly small. Originally I had 2x6 boards around it. However with 4 or more 1200 lb cows on each side of the waterer it is a bit tight and the boards did not look like they were going to hold up.  I replaced them with used guard rail and am happy that I did. It would have been a lot easier if I had planned for guard rail initially and the RR tie posts were in the right place and at the right height...I made it work.

So far the waterer area has worked out very well. They come to it in groups and then take turns according to the pecking order. Every body gets water. Cattle are in no particular hurry most of the time.

You are perceptive about the split. My plan is to use the posts shown to split the waterer and pasture at weaning time (soon). Fence weaning with the cows and bull on one side and the calves on the other. Later I'll have the steers and bull on one side and the cows and heifers on the other. But everyone can still get to the one waterer installation.

I am fairly new to cattle but it seems to me that free access to good, clean, non frozen water along with salt, a very good mineral program and controlled pasture rotation greatly help overall herd health and reduce calving problems as mentioned by another poster.

Mine will be on cornstalks right after harvest also with split electric wire lane to the waterer area. I suggest if you are going to bury a water line don't forget to run a heavier than needed electric wire in the same trench. Good luck.

Jim at Dawn

On distance: I don't think 1/2 mile looks like a problem to water. Good exercise as pointed out by several responders. I am just guessing but I think if you got to 3/4 or 1 mile they might not drink as much water as they should for good health. jmho.