As we head into the summer months and temperatures rise, the provision of clean and plentiful water is critical.
In hot weather, water intakes can increase by up to 20%, explains Jake Manning, Ruminant Sales Specialist at Massey Feeds.
“A high-yielding Holstein can drink over 100 litres a day at a rate of 24 litres per minute.
“When temperatures rise, cows require cold water to help regulate body temperature and maintain dry matter intakes.”
He adds: “Ten litres of water can equal three litres of milk. That’s a significant potential yield loss if cows can’t drink enough.”
Since milk is 87% water, hydration is essential – not only for milk production but also for transporting nutrients around the blood stream and maintaining pH levels.
“Over 80% of water is consumed within 15 minutes of eating or cows being brought in from the field,” Jake points out.
Therefore, providing an adequate number of water troughs and sufficient space is vital.
“At least 10% of the herd should be able to drink at the same time, with a minimum of 10cm of trough space per cow,” advises Jake.
Water consumption can be encouraged by adding sodium to the diet or using ad-lib salt licks, and ensuring troughs are clean.
He recommends feeding 110g a head/day in the diet or allowing ad-lib access when using salt licks.
“Every 1g of sodium can increase water intakes by 0.2 litres. Having contaminated water can affect water intakes by up to 30%.”
Jakes suggests a simple test: use a clear pint glass to sample water from troughs and assess cleanliness.
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