I appreciate the adviceI received from the Petersen concrete waterer people about installing their waterer on a raised pad about 4" taller than the surrounding pad and about 12-18" wider than the waterer base all around.

As they put it, cattle will put their front hooves on the pad to drink but will not put their rear hooves on the pad. This keeps them from getting manure or urine in the drinking water.

My waterers don't get manure in them but do have some algae buildup on the walls. It is always a tossup this time of year in WI as to which is worse, a bit of algae on the inside walls or the massive amount of slippery ice I would create by scrubbing and draining them.

If the water itself appears clean I just leave them until we get a warm day. Draining them then adding some bleach, scrubbing and draining again usually will clean them up pretty well. It can be tough to get rid of the bleach smell if you use too much and cattle hate that bleach smell. Sitting in line at a truck stop Blue Beacon truck wash...Jim at Dawn