Frequently Asked Questions
How much do they cost? Full Circles are $66.00 and partial circles are $66.00. Our prices on some products increased slightly in 2006 - our first increase in over 10 years.
Is the cost more than a Rain Bird with a Dome? Yes. About $20.00 or so, but the Cow Washer is a permanent sprinkler! Once installed you never have to replace it. It was designed to be rebuilt. It takes about 2 minutes to rebuild one, and the rebuild kit is only $19.00.
How often do they have to be rebuilt? That depends on the quality of water and time of use. We have dairies that rebuild every year, and others that will go for 6 years before rebuilding. Those that rebuild every year are very aggressive, with wash pens going 24 hours a day. In some cases, high sand concentration in the water supply will cause the replacable parts to wear out prematurely.
What is the required spacing? 5 foot centers are best. Do not space them more than 7 feet between centers or cows will get in between sprinklers (only one side will get washed). Your outside rows should be within six inches of the wash pen perimeter; 12 inches maximum.
How high do they spray? If unobstructed about 38", provided they are the right height off the concrete (6 to 7 1/2"). We designed this sprinkler to wash the udders, not the back. We concentrate the water on the business part of the cow, resulting in quicker drying times. There isn't a constant stream of muddy water running off the back and onto the udder.
Do they need a bonnet, or guard? No. Again, these were designed to wash cows, not water alfalfa. They are smooth and strong. Nothing to harm the cows or tear off tags.
What is the pipe thread size? 1 1/4" NPT. This is for strength, not volume.
What if I have 3/4" or 1" nipples now? Simply cut them off leaving a short nipple, and weld the 1 1/4" nipple over the smaller nipple to the supply pipe. Again, the larger pipe is for strength. You will have more than enough volume with the smaller pipe.
What pressure should they have? 40 to 45 psi is best. They will work at higher and lower pressures, but field reports favor 40 to 45 psi.
You state they wash better with less water. How is this done? By patented design. Our spray is not a hard, solid jet that hits with such force that it splashes off the cow. With the Cow Washer, water is applied in a gentle fan of water droplets. These droplets cling to the cow and soak in. We actually get the udder wetter with less water! In many cases, wash times are reduced with our sprinklers.
What do dairymen say about the Cow Washers? We get reports like, "The cows like them, the gentle action doesn't crowd them up so tight." "We haven't had a single injury since installing the Cow Washer." And "Our milkers are happy now!"