AgriculturalTanks

As a rough guide, cattle drink 30-70 litres per day depending on size and milk yield, sheep around 4-10 litres, and pigs 5-15 litres, so herd or flock size should drive tank capacity. Most farms build in extra headroom for hot weather, lambing/calving periods and to reduce refill frequency. Our team can talk through daily consumption figures against our range if you're sizing a new trough or storage system.

Galvanised steel tanks are extremely robust, resist impact damage from livestock or machinery, and are a common choice for large-volume water storage and slurry applications. Polyethylene (plastic) tanks are lighter, corrosion-proof, and better suited to chemical, fertiliser or molasses storage where the steel could react with the contents. Which you choose usually comes down to what's being stored and where the tank will sit on the farm.

No — fertiliser tanks are purpose-built with materials and fittings resistant to the corrosive nature of liquid fertiliser, and cross-contamination risks mean they shouldn't be swapped with water storage. Our fertiliser tanks, including options from JFC and Enduramaxx, are specifically engineered for this job with appropriate outlets and venting. Always keep dedicated tanks for fertiliser, molasses and drinking water to avoid contamination and equipment damage.

Most on-farm water and fertiliser tanks don't need planning permission, but larger structures, bunded fertiliser stores or anything near watercourses may fall under Environment Agency rules (particularly the Silage, Slurry and Agricultural Fuel Oil Regulations for fertiliser storage). Tanks should sit on level, well-compacted or concrete bases capable of taking the full weight when filled, with clear access for filling and maintenance. If you're unsure, check with your local authority or the Environment Agency before installation.

Bunding is a legal requirement for many liquid fertiliser stores under agricultural pollution regulations, providing secondary containment if the primary tank fails or leaks. Some of our fertiliser tanks come with integral bunding, while others need a separate bunded base or enclosure. Molasses tanks don't carry the same statutory bunding requirement but a containment area is still good practice given the mess and cost of a spill.

Larger tanks are typically delivered on a kerbside pallet or flatbed and will need suitable access and manpower or machinery (forklift, telehandler) to move into final position, as the driver won't be able to site it for you. Lead times vary by product and manufacturer, so it's worth checking stock and delivery estimates before you commit to an installation date. Make sure your base is prepared and ready in advance so the tank isn't sitting exposed or blocking access on arrival.