A lid over the water.
The covered reservoir helps keep feed, bedding and flies out between drinks.
Clean water.When they
want it.
A covered water supply, connected straight to your line. Fresh water within reach, with one less pail to fill.
Less filling.More time with your calves.See it at the pen
The Calf Drinker
Explore in 3DLoading 3D view
The Calf Drinker
Front view. Lid closed.
An open pail lets
more than water in.
Feed, bedding and flies can find their way into an open pail. CalfWell covers the water supply and brings a drink to the calf through a nipple.
Open water pail
Exposed between fills.
- Feed, bedding and flies can get in
- Standing water can warm in the sun
- Filled and replenished by hand
CalfWell
Covered between drinks.
- A fitted lid helps keep debris out
- Water supplied from your line
- A drinking nipple within the calf’s reach
Illustrations of the two watering setups.
| At the pen | Open water pail | CalfWell |
|---|---|---|
| Water supply | Refilled by hand | Supplied by a water line |
| Exposure | Open surface | Covered reservoir |
| Drinking | From the pail | Through a nipple |
| Daily care | Check, clean and refill | Check supply, flow and cleanliness |
Water matters
from the start.
About 3× as much water.
In a comparison on one dairy farm in the southern Netherlands, CalfWell reports that calves drank about three times as much water from the drinker as from open pails.
Milk is part of the feeding routine. Drinking water belongs there too: access to clean water supports starter intake as young calves grow.
Why young calves need waterWater intake
Draft comparisonDraft comparison. Based on an approximate ratio reported by CalfWell from one farm. The trial dataset has not been provided for verification. The graph shows relative intake, not litres or a guaranteed result.
One less pail
on the daily round.
The water line supplies the drinker. The calf comes to the nipple. Your daily round stays focused on the calf, the water flow and keeping the equipment clean.
A drink within reach.
Position the nipple where the calf can drink comfortably. Introduce each calf and check that it returns to drink.
A supply you can check.
A connected water line takes hand-filling out of the routine. Check the supply, nipple flow and cleanliness every day.
Made for life
at the pen.
The integrated rear plate has four fixing points for mounting at the pen or hutch. Set the nipple at a comfortable height for the calf and connect the water supply for your installation.
Four fixing points.
One integrated mounting plate.
The drinker, in detail.
- Water supply
- Connected water line
- Body & lid
- HDPE
- Mounting
- Integrated plate with four fixing points
- Water delivery
- Drinking nipple
- Placement
- Individual calf pen or hutch
- Reservoir
- Covered; removable lid
Before you fit
your first drinker.
Water supply, daily care and getting calves started.
Does it need a water line?
Yes. CalfWell connects to a water line and supplies water through a drinking nipple. It is not a pail you fill from the top. Check the connection and installation requirements for your setup before ordering.
What keeps the water cleaner?
A fitted lid covers the reservoir, helping keep feed, bedding and flies out. The calf drinks through the nipple. You still need a clean water source, clean equipment and daily checks.
Do calves need drinking water while they are on milk?
Yes. Offer clean drinking water alongside the normal milk-feeding program. Water intake supports starter intake as calves grow and move toward weaning.
Read the University of Maryland guidance ↗Where does the “about 3×” figure come from?
CalfWell reports this approximate ratio from a comparison on one dairy farm in the southern Netherlands. The trial dataset has not been provided for verification, so the chart is labelled as a draft comparison. It shows relative intake, not measured litres or a guaranteed result.
Will it stop cross-sucking?
CalfWell has not been proven to prevent cross-sucking. The drinker gives calves a nipple for water, but cross-sucking also involves milk allowance, feeding speed and weaning practices. Review the wider feeding routine if it is a problem in your herd.
Read Penn State’s cross-sucking guidance ↗Will it keep the water cool?
The drinker supplies water from your line; it does not cool it. Temperature depends on the water source, line routing and conditions at the pen. Protect the installation from direct sun and freezing, and check it during the daily round.
What daily care does it need?
Check the water supply, nipple flow and cleanliness every day. Keep the nipple and reservoir clean, and follow the product’s cleaning and installation instructions.
How do I get a calf started?
Introduce each calf to the nipple and watch it drink. Check the height and flow, then make sure the calf comes back to drink on its own. Keep monitoring access and intake, especially in young calves.
Put fresh water
within their reach.
A covered supply at the pen. One less pail to fill.