Providing enough quality water is essential for good livestock husbandry and welfare.
Understanding livestock watering needs, is paramount to designing a good livestock watering system. Dairy cows in milk, require 100-120 litres of water per day. When grass dry matter is high, in milk cows may have to drink over 80% of their water requirement (the balance may be met from forage). Cows tend to drink 30-50% of their water requirement within 1 hour of milking and so the following are critical considerations:
Accessibility
Flow Rate
Trough Capacity
Providing enough quality water is essential for good livestock husbandry. Water makes up;
70% of the animals bodyweight 87% of milk produced
Water also regulates body temperature and is vital for organ functions such as digestion, waste removal and the absorption of nutrients. The daily water requirement of livestock varies significantly, with size, growth stage and output level all having a strong influence.
Consumption rates can be affected by dietary, environmental and management factors.
Water Consumption by Dairy Cattle
Air temperature, relative humidity, the level of animal exertion and milk output are examples of these factors. The quality of the water, which includes temperature, salinity and impurities affecting taste and odour, will also have an effect. The water content of the animal’s diet will influence its drinking habits. Forage or feed with high moisture content decreases the quantity of drinking water required.
Dairy Cattle Temperature range 4-21°C
Level of Milk Production (kg milk/day)
Water Requirement Range (L/day)
Average Typical Water Use (L/day)
Dairy calves (1-4 months)
-
4.9-13.2
9
Dairy heifers (5-24 months)
-
14.4-36.3
25
Milking cows
13.6
68-83
115
22.7
87-102
115
36.3
114-136
115
-
34-49
-
Dry cows