water quality for dairy cows

8/8/2019 Water Quality for Dairy Cows

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Kemin Industries, Inc. and its group of companies 2010 All rights reserved. Trademarks of Kemin Industries, Inc., U.S.A.

Water quantity and quality for

dairy cattle

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Water Quantity

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` 80-90% of the cows water needs comes from drinking water.

` Amount of water consumed depends on

` Body weight

` Age

` Milk yield

` Dry matter intake

` Temperature

` Relative humidity

`

Water temperature, quality, and availability` Moisture content of the feed


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Estimated water intake for a 1,350 lb. lactating cowproducing 40 100 lbs.

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Milk prod. DMI Mean Min. Temp.a

lbs./day lbs./day 40oF 50oF 60oF 70oF 80oF

40 42 18.4 20.2 22.0 23.7 25.5

60 48 21.8 23.5 25.3 27.1 28.9

80 54 25.1 26.9 28.7 30.4 32.2

100 60 28.5 30.3 32.1 33.8 35.6

Source: Water for Dairy Cattle. Guide D-107. New Mexico and Oklahoma

Cooperative Extension.aMean min. temp. is 10 to 15oF lower than mean daytime temp.bOne gallon of water weighs 8.34 lbs.

gallons per dayb


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What about non-lactating animals?

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` Dry cows` 7 to 13 gallons per day.

` Calves and heifers` 1 mo 1 to 2 gal.

` 2 mo 1.5 to 2.4 gal.

` 3 mo 2.1 to 2.8 gal.

`

4 mo 3.0 to 3.5 gal.` 5 mo 3.8 to 4.6 gal.

` 15 18 mo 5.9 to 7.1 gal.

` 18 24 mo 7.3 to 9.6 gal.


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Water Quality

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` pH` Total dissolved solids

` Nitrates


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Water pH

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` Recommendations - pH 6.5 to 8.5

` Lower and higher water pH may cause

acidosis problems.

` But the ration and the physical environment has

a greater impact.


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Total Di

ssolved Solid

s(T

DS)Intake

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` Salinity

` Sodium, Chloride, Bicarbonate, Sulfate, Calcium, andMagnesium

` No differences observed in drinking water intake on highsaline water (TDS = 4,400 mg/L) vs. low saline water duringcool temperatures.

` Differences observed during the summer months.` Higher water intakes observed on high saline water vs.

normal.


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How does water nitrate level affect

dairy cattle?

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Nitrate General Information

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Nitrate In the rumen source of N for synthesis of

bacterial protein Can be reduced to nitrite

Nitrites reduces oxygen-carrying capacity ofhemoglobin

Symptoms of acute nitrate poisoning

Asphyxiation and labored breathing Rapid pulse

Frothing

Blue muzzle/bluish tint around eyes

Chocolate-brown blood


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DMI Feed NO3-N Factor NO3-N intake

lbs. ppm mg

Corn silage 14.3 1200 .454 7791

Haylage 7.9 580 .454 2080Hay 1.7 200 .454 154

Shelled corn 9.2 30 .454 125

Canola 4.6 20 .454 42

Roasted beans 3.1 24 .454 34

Soybean meal (HT) 1.4 20 .454 13

Cottonseed hulls 3.6 3 .454 5

Cookie meal 4.1 15 .454 28

Sugar 2.1 - - -

Min-vit mix 1.9 - - -

54.0 10,272

Ration Nitrates


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lbs. ppm mg

Corn silage 14.3 1200 .454 7791

Haylage 7.9 580 .454 2080

Hay 1.7 200 .454 154Shelled corn 9.2 30 .454 125

Canola 4.6 20 .454 42

Roasted beans3.1 24 .454 34



Cookie meal 4.1 15 .454 28

Sugar 2.1 - - -


54.0 10,272

Water 258 20 .454 2343

Total 13,070

Nitrates: Ration + Water


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Nitrates Total Ration

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` 13,070/454,000 / 54 x 100 = 0.053% NO3 - N content of total diet as

%DM

(Reasonable level is 0.04 to 0.09%)

Possible problems Total diet, ppm

None up to 400

Impaired infertility 401-1300

Reduced gains 1301 1700

Clinical symptoms over 1700

Convert % to ppm - 0.053% X 10,000 = 530 ppm


13/17

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lbs. ppm mg

Corn silage 14.3 1200 .454 7791

Haylage 7.9 580 .454 2080

Hay 1.7 200 .454 154

Shelled corn 9.2 30 .454 125

Canola 4.6 20 .454 42

Roasted beans 3.1 24 .454 34



Cookie meal 4.1 15 .454 28

Sugar 2.1 - - -


54.0 10,272

Water 258 200 .454 23,426

Total 33,698

Nitrates: Ration + Water


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Nitrates Total Ration

33,698 /454,000 / 54 x 100 = 0.14% NO3-N content of total diet as

%DM

(Reasonable level is 0.04 to 0.09%)

Possible problems Total diet, ppm

None up to 400

Impaired infertility 401-1300

Reduced gains 1301 1700

Clinical symptoms over 1700

Convert % to ppm - 0.14% X 10,000 = 1400 ppm


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General Recommendations

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` Test suspected forages/water

` Suspected or high nitrate forages

` Introduce gradually -adaptation reduces risks

` Limit meal size

` Feed more frequently

` Feed at least 3-5 pounds of grain

` Limit dry matter intake/single meal if forage contains > 1100ppm NO3-N.


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Summary

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` Water is important both quantity and quality.

` Very little research is available to define lower and upper limits of when

problems will occur.` Rely on commonsense

` Handling problem herds

` Water is unlikely the sole problem, but it may be a contributing factor.

` Nutrition and feeding management affect cows more that water, undernormal conditions.

` If water quality is an issue, calves, young stock, and dry cows probably areexperiencing problems as well as lactating cows.


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Thank You

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