Cattle Tank [American usage and Non-American usage] (in CC amphib glossary)

[John]

Someone please help me with this one.

Cattle Tank (American) is a term used to describe a depression in the ground (usually a relatively "bare" shallow pond) from which cattle can drink. On the Great Plains in the USA these are often important amphibian habitats due to the lack of water bodies.

Cattle Tank (Non-American) or trough is a large long (usually) metal container used to feed or water large numbers of cattle at one time. Note it is not sunk into the ground and so is not accessible to amphibians.

 

[Jennewt]

I would have guessed that your "non-American" definition was universal. I certainly think of a "cattle tank" as a big metal trough. However, I googled "cattle tank texas", and sure enough, there are things that look like ponds, but they are called cattle tanks. Crazy!

 

[michael]

I think it is a regional use. I have a trough or tank that is about 12 ft. long in my back yard. We have always called it a cattle tank or cattle trough. I've heard or huge neotenic tiger salamanders living in cold cattle tanks out west. I always envisioned an above ground tank filled from a pipe with spring water that someway the salamanders got in. An in ground depression makes more sense.

 

[John]

Well since I'm an amateur tiger salamander chaser who reads the literature for places to go, you can imagine my confusion about this one until I visited one and saw it was really a small bare shallow pond with cows in the area...

 

[Jan]

I would have to echo Jen and Michael's comments that this is a vernacular term and that the 'non-American' definition would be the more universally understood defininition of a cattle tank. Here in the midwest (land of corn and cows ;-), we call it a water hole.....quite original don't you think??? Not only is it a source of water for livestock but also where wildlife can be found.

 

[John]

The video here about the Sonoran Tiger Salamander mentions "cattle tanks" several times and shows them too:

http://www.caudata.org/forum/showthread.php?t=52465

 

[Mark]

Sounds like an American term so I wouldn’t bother with the non-American version. To me a cattle tank sounds like a tank that should contain cattle. In the UK we’d use water trough, cattle trough or livestock trough. A pond in a field of livestock is known as a livestock pond - funny that, eh ;-). I’ve still not figured out why you guys have restrooms instead of toilets and bathrooms with no baths. Each to their own I guess.

 

[John]

Hey what's this "you guys" business?

 

[Mark]

We’ll I figured you’d be semi-naturalized by now J.

 

[John]

My wife's American and she is at school here. Me moving here seemed like the sensible choice. One of these days I'll give you a ring and tell you more.

 

[SludgeMunkey]

Someone please help me with this one.

Cattle Tank (American) is a term used to describe a depression in the ground (usually a relatively "bare" shallow pond) from which cattle can drink. On the Great Plains in the USA these are often important amphibian habitats due to the lack of water bodies.

Cattle Tank (Regional, USA): A man-made pond intended to provide drinking water to grazing livestock in the Central and Western United States. Often also utilized by amphibians and other wildlife in areas where natural water bodies are scarce or seasonal.



I still picture a heavily armored dairy cow with a large cannon mounted to it every time I hear this term...

 

[Jan]

Moved to completed section using John's definition. A cattle tank within the USA vernacular could be either natural or man made? John's def encompasses both.

 

[Natalie]

The term "restroom" is used because we like to spend quality time on the watering hole, reading from a good book, or from stacks of newspapers and magazines. Confusion with bathroom must be new because in Victorian houses I've lived in, there was a separate place to w/ toilet from room with tub.

Sounds like an American term so I wouldn’t bother with the non-American version. To me a cattle tank sounds like a tank that should contain cattle. In the UK we’d use water trough, cattle trough or livestock trough. A pond in a field of livestock is known as a livestock pond - funny that, eh ;-). I’ve still not figured out why you guys have restrooms instead of toilets and bathrooms with no baths. Each to their own I guess.

 

[Natalie]

I still picture a heavily armored dairy cow with a large cannon mounted to it every time I hear this term...

Good, they need it!

 

[Natalie]

Someone please help me with this one.

Cattle Tank (American) is a term used to describe a depression in the ground (usually a relatively "bare" shallow pond) from which cattle can drink. On the Great Plains in the USA these are often important amphibian habitats due to the lack of water bodies.

Good thing someone's vegetarian:ha:.

 

[Francisca]

Here in the midwest (land of corn and cows ;-), we call it a water hole.....quite original don't you think??? Not only is it a source of water for livestock but also where wildlife can be found.