|
>
Department >
Home >
Beef
>
Beef/Cattle >
Drought & Water
Beef/Cattle Extension Program
What are some guidelines that I can use to evaluate
livestock water quality?
| "Water
quality is important in maintaining water consumption
of cattle." |
This question comes from a Veterinarian
in Central Iowa, by Dr. Dave Hutcheson, PhD
Water Quality and Guidelines
Water is the most common molecule in the body, and
makes up about 98 percent of all molecules in the body.
Loss of 20 percent of body water is fatal. Water has
the highest heat of vaporization, heat of fusion, heat
capacity, dielectric constant, electrical conductivity
and surface tension (Quinton, 1979). Water is needed
for regulation of the body temperature, digestion, metabolism,
excretion, hydrolysis of protein, fat, and carbohydrates,
lubrication of joints, nervous system cushion, transporting
sound and eye sight. Water distribution in the body
is divided into two major compartments, extracellular
(33 percent) and intracellular (67 percent). Most of
the water is in the intracellular pool and the proportions
vary with feeding practices and environmental conditions.
The intracellular pool is made up of interstitial water,
plasma and transcellular water. The interstitial water
is the spaces surrounding cells in the body. The transcellular
water is gastrointestinal water that can range from
15 percent of the body to 35 percent of the body. (Guyton,
1971).
The minimum requirement of cattle for water is a reflection
of that needed for body growth; for fetal growth or
lactation; and of that lost by excretion in the urine,
feces, or sweat or by evaporation from the lungs or
skin. Water requirements are affected by many factors,
and it is impossible to list specific requirements with
accuracy. Water intake equation for feedlot steers has
been developed by (Hicks et al. 1988):
| Water intake(gallons/day)
= - 4.939 + (.1040xMT) + (.2923xDMI) - (2.5971xPP)
- (1.1739xDS). |
| |
- MT is the weekly maximum temperature in degrees
Fahrenheit
- DMI is dry matter intake in lbs fed daily
- PP is weekly mean precipitation inches
- DS is the percent of dietary salt in %.
|
The major influences on water intake in beef cattle
fed typical rations are dry matter intake, environmental
temperature, and stage and type of production. Water
quality is important in maintaining water consumption
of cattle. Physio-chemical ( pH, total dissolved solids,
hardness, and total dissolved oxygen), organoleptic
(odor and taste), compounds present in excess (nitrates,
iron, sodium, sulfates, and fluorine), toxic compounds
(arsenic, cyanide, lead, mercury, hydrocarbons, organochlorides
and organophosphates) and bacteria are criteria for
evaluating drink water for humans and livestock.
Salinity
Salinity refers to the amount of dissolved salts in
water and is measured by total dissolved solids. These
dissolved salts are primarily sodium chloride but may
include carbonates, nitrates, sulfates, calcium, magnesium
and potassium Table 1 was adapted from Nutrients and
toxic substances in water for livestock and poultry,
NAS, 1974.
Table 1 - Guide to the Use of Saline Water
Total
Dissolved Solids (TDS) mg/l or ppm
|
| Less than 1,000 ppm fresh water |
Presents no serious burden to livestock |
| 1,000 - 2,999 ppm slightly saline |
Should not affect health or performance
but may cause temporary mild diarrhea |
| 3,000 - 4,999 ppm moderately saline |
Generally satisfactory, but may cause
diarrhea, especially on initial consumption |
| 5,000 - 6,999 ppm saline |
Can be used for reasonable safety
for adult ruminants but should be avoided for pregnant
cattle and baby calves. |
| 7,000 - 10,000 ppm very saline |
Should be avoided if possible. Pregnant,
lactating, stressed or young animals can be affected. |
| Greater than 10,000 ppm brine |
Unsafe, should not be used under
any conditions |
Salinity is part of the total dissolved solids but
is not hardness. For and example high saline waters
may contain high degree of salt and yet not be hard
due to the lack of magnesium and calcium. Concentration
of calcium and magnesium contributes to hardness. Hardness,
calcium plus magnesium classification is defined in
table 2 (Nutrients and toxic substances in water for
livestock and poultry, NAS, 1974).
Table 2 - Calcium and Magnesium Concentrations and Hardness
| Hardness |
Calcium plus Magnesium
ppm |
| Soft |
0 - 60 ppm |
| Moderate |
61 - 120 ppm |
| Hard |
121 - 180 ppm |
| Very Hard |
181 ppm and greater |
Apparently, degree of hardness does not effect livestock
production (Blosser and Soni, 1957). Laboratory analysis
sometimes reports hardness as grains of hardness. One
grain per gallon is equal to .0058 ppm.
Nitrates
Cattle performance and reproduction is effected by nitrates
in the water.. Nitrate (NO3 ) is reduced to nitrite
(NO2) which creates the toxicity. Nitrate levels in
water in excess of .3 mg of nitrate nitrogen per liter
contributes to excessive algae growth. Table 3 is a
guide to levels of nitrate and nitrate nitrogen and
precautions (Nutrients and toxic substances in water
for livestock and poultry, NAS, 1974).
Table 3 - Nitrates in Water.
| Nitrate
(NO3) ppm |
Nitrate
Nitrogen (NO3 -N) ppm |
Comments |
| 0 - 44 ppm |
0 - 10 ppm |
No harmful effects |
| 45 - 132 ppm |
10 - 20 ppm |
Safe if diet is low in nitrates and
nutritionally balanced |
| 133 - 220 ppm |
20 - 40 ppm |
Could be harmful if consumed over
long periods of time |
| 221 - 660 ppm |
40 - 100 ppm |
Cattle at risk; possible death losses |
| 661 - 800 ppm |
100 - 200 ppm |
Unsafe; high probability of death
losses |
| Over 800 ppm |
Over 200 ppm |
Unsafe; do not use |
Water Quality Guidelines
Table 4 has been adapted from Mineral Tolerance Domestic
Animals, NAS, 1980 and Nutrients and toxic substances
in water for livestock and poultry, NAS, 1974 as a guide
line for water quality for cattle.
Table 4 - Water Quality Guidelines
| Substance |
Desired
Upper Limits ppm |
Maximum
Upper Limits ppm |
| Aluminum |
5 |
10 |
| Arsenic |
0.2 |
0.2 |
| Bicarbonate |
Unknown |
<1000 |
| Boron |
5 |
30 |
| Cadmium |
0.01 |
0.05 |
| Calcium |
100 |
150 |
| Chloride |
100 |
300 |
| Chromium |
1 |
1 |
| Cobalt |
1 |
1 |
| Copper |
0.2 |
0.5 |
| Fluoride |
2 |
2 |
| Lead |
0.05 |
0.1 |
| Magnesium |
50 |
100 |
| Manganese |
0.05 |
0.5 |
| Mercury |
0.01 |
0.01 |
| Nickel |
0.25 |
1 |
| Selenium |
0.05 |
0.10 |
| Sodium |
50 |
300 |
| Sulfate (S from SO4) |
20 |
100 |
| Sulfate (SO4) |
50 |
300 |
| Vanadium |
0 |
0.1 |
| Zinc |
25 |
50 |
| Nitrate (NO3-N)N from
NO3 |
10 |
20 |
| Total Dissolved Solids
(TDS) |
960 |
5000 |
References
Blosser, T.H. and B. K. Soni. 1957. Comparative influence
of hard and soft water on milk production of dairy cows.
J. Dairy Sci. 40:1519.
Guyton, A. C. 1971. Textbook of medical physiology.
4th ed. W. B Saunders Co., Philadelphia, PA.
Hicks, R. B., F. N. Owens, D. R. Gill, J. J. Martin
and C. A. Strasia. 1988. Water intake by feedlot steers.
Animal Sci. Res. Rept. Oklahoma State University.
National Research Council. 1980. Mineral tolerance of
domestic animals. National Academy of Sciences.
National Research Council. 1974. Nutrients and Toxic
Substances in Water for Livestock and Poultry. Washington,
D. C. National Academy of Sciences.
Quinton, P. M. 1979. Comparative water metabolism in
animals: protozoa to man. Comp. Anim. Nutr. 3:100
Source of Information:
http://www.cattleinfonet.com/emerge/site.home?p_site=CATTLEINFO
|
