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Water Quality Tips for Optimal Productivity

Ensuring water quality is paramount in dairy farming. It impacts the health and productivity of lactating cows, calves, and dry cows. Lactating cows require substantial amounts of water, directly correlating with their body weight, dry matter intake, and production level, as water constitutes more than 80% of milk volume. Poor water quality can cause health problems and decrease performance, emphasizing the need for regular testing and maintenance.

Risks of Poor Water Quality

Poor water quality can severely impact the health and productivity of dairy cattle. Contaminated water can introduce pathogens, heavy metals, and harmful chemicals into the herd's system, leading to digestive disorders, reproductive issues, and decreased feed intake. Moreover, poor water quality can significantly impact water intake. Unlike traditional belief, studies indicate dairy cattle are highly sensitive to contamination in their drinking water, detecting as little as 0.005% manure contamination and avoiding it when possible.1,2 Water intake can decrease by over 12% with as little as 0.05% manure contamination (Figure 1).2 Reduced water intake can significantly impact milk yield, since cows require up to 5 lbs. of water for every lb. of milk produced.  Additionally, poor water quality can directly impact key performance indicators like feed intake, rumen function, and nutrient digestion.

Water Quality Intake

Figure 1. Free and total (sum of free and water ingested in feed) water intake of pregnant, lactating dairy cattle (n = 15 cows/treatment) that received drinking water with different manure contamination in a cross-over design; Clean water, 0.5 mg fresh manure/g water, or 1 mg fresh manure /g water. Cows were exposed to each treatment for 4 consecutive days. Values are daily averages and the standard error of the difference (SED). Different letters indicate P < 0.05 based on pair-wise comparisons (26 degrees of freedom).

Impact on Performance

A study showed that yearling heifers with access to clean water gained 23% more weight than those with access to pond water.3 The authors stated that the increased gain could be due to higher water intake, and consequently higher feed intake. Another study showed that dairy cattle consuming water with high mineral content drank less, ate less, and produced less milk than cows provided with treated water, indicating the negative impact of poor water palatability on key performance indicators.4 Besides palatability, water contamination with pathogens can be a threat to adequate performance. Disinfecting the drinking water supply can reduce exposure of harmful pathogens to animals which could lead to less health challenges like mastitis, improve cull rates, and more.5 Modern dairy cows have a huge genetic potential to produce as much as 120 lbs. of milk per day which makes the supply of high-quality drinking water to cows ever more important. Clean water can help reduce the incidence of health issues and lead to a more stable and productive herd.

Water Quality Management Tips

Effective water quality management involves several key practices. First, choosing the right type of water trough is essential. Stainless steel or heavy-duty plastic troughs are preferable as they are easier to clean and less likely to harbor bacteria.6 Avoid troughs with rough surfaces like concrete, when possible, as they are more prone to biofilm colonization. Additionally, troughs should be of adequate size and number to prevent overcrowding and contamination. Feed, bedding, fecal matter, and even contaminated dust can enter the water troughs and provide a nutrient-rich substrate for pathogen growth and survival. These contaminants can reduce palatability of water which, as discussed above, can significantly impact water intake and milk production. Therefore, regular inspection and cleaning of water troughs is critical. Studies have shown that merely emptying water troughs and rinsing is inadequate.7,8 Troughs should be emptied, scrubbed, and rinsed frequently to remove soiling, fecal contamination, algae, and biofilm.2,6,7 A high-efficacy disinfectant during cleaning, like chlorine dioxide, can help ensure that troughs remain sanitary. Likewise, water treatment with chlorine dioxide can disinfect drinking water against pathogens while also neutralizing some odors and improving palatability. Continuous disinfection using chlorine dioxide effectively maintains water quality by killing biofilm-forming pathogens, viruses, and other pathogens.9 Chlorine dioxide works over a wide pH range and doesn’t form harmful by-products, making it an important tool for water quality management plans.10 Finally, make sure water quality is assessed. Water samples should be tested for bacterial contamination, biofilm, algae, pH levels, and harmful substances like nitrates and sulfates. Monitoring allows for detection of problems and the proper intervention.

Conclusion

Water quality is critical in dairy farming, directly affecting herd health and productivity. Issues like palatability and contaminants like algae and biofilm can hurt health and reduce water intake, which in turn reduces milk production. Effective water quality management includes choosing the right water troughs, regular cleaning, and continuous water disinfection with systems like chlorine dioxide. Water quality testing and maintenance can also allow for proper intervention and minimize health issues, improve milk production, and reduce culling rates. By prioritizing water quality, dairy farmers can ensure that their herds remain healthy and have the right environment to achieve their full production potential, ultimately leading to improved profitability and sustainability of their operations.

For more information about Kemin’s water quality solutions, visit http://www.kemin.com/prooxine.

 

 

References

1Schütz, K. E., Huddart, F. J., & Cox, N. R. (2019). Manure contamination of drinking water influences dairy cattle water intake and preference. Applied Animal Behaviour Science, 217, 16-20. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.applanim.2019.05.005
2Schütz, K. E., Huddart, F. J., & Cox, N. R. (2021). Effects of short-term exposure to drinking water contaminated with manure on water and feed intake, production, and lying behaviour in dairy cattle. Applied Animal Behaviour Science, 238, 105322. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.applanim.2021.105322
3Willms, W. D., Kenzie, O. R., McAllister, T. A., Colwell, D., Veira, D., Wilmshurst, J. F., Entz, T., & Olson, M. E. (2002). Effects of water quality on cattle performance. Journal of Range Management, 55(5), 452-460. https://doi.org/10.2458/azu_jrm_v55i5_willms
4Challis, D. J., Zeinstra, J. S., & Anderson, M. J. (1987). Some effects of water quality on the performance of high yielding cows in an arid climate. The Veterinary record, 120(1), 12–15.
5Le Jeune, J. T., Besser, T. E., Merrill, N. L., Rice, D. H., & Hancock, D. D. (2001). Livestock drinking water microbiology and the factors influencing the quality of drinking water offered to cattle. Journal of Dairy Science, 84(8), 1856-1862. https://doi.org/10.3168/jds.S0022-0302(01)74626-7
6Cook, K. L., Britt, J. S., & Bolster, C. H. (2010). Survival of Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis in biofilms on livestock watering trough materials. Veterinary Microbiology, 141(1-2), 103–109. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.vetmic.2009.08.013
7van Eenige, M. J. E. M., Counotte, G. H. M., & Noordhuizen, J. P. T. M. (2013). Drinking water for dairy cattle: always a benefit or a microbiological risk? Tijdschrift voor Diergeneeskunde, 138, 86–97, 99.
8Hayer, J. J., Heinemann, C., Schmid, S. M., Schulze-Dieckhoff, B. G., Stewart, S., & Steinhoff-Wagner, J. (2019). PSII-10 In vitro simulation of biofilm development and detachment in dairy cow troughs within the first 7 days after cleaning. Journal of Animal Science, 97(Supplement_3), 232–233. https://doi.org/10.1093/jas/skz258.473
9Gagnon, G. A., Rand, J. L., O'Leary, K. C., Rygel, A. C., Chauret, C., & Andrews, R. C. (2005). Disinfectant efficacy of chlorite and chlorine dioxide in drinking water biofilms. Water Research, 39(9), 1809-1817. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.watres.2005.02.004
10Sib, E., Voigt, A. M., Wilbring, G., Schreiber, C., Faerber, H. A., Skutlarek, D., Parcina, M., Mahn, R., Wolf, D., Bossart, P., & others. (2019). Antibiotic resistant bacteria and resistance genes in biofilms in clinical wastewater networks. International Journal of Hygiene and Environmental Health, 222(4), 655-662. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijheh.2019.03.006


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