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Dairy farming emphasizes water management

Provided by the 5830 Agriculture Website Directory: Water plays an extremely important role in the metabolism of dairy cows. To maintain normal physiological activities, complete the digestion, transportation, absorption, and metabolism of nutrients within their bodies, dairy cows cannot do without water. Water accounts for about 65% of a dairy cow's body weight, and the water content in milk components is approximately 87%. When provided with ample clean drinking water, dairy cows will drink more, eat more, and produce more milk. For every kilogram of dry matter consumed, a dairy cow needs to ingest five kilograms of water, and for every liter of milk produced, it requires three to five liters of water. This means that high-yielding dairy cows need up to 150 liters of fresh drinking water daily. In practice, some dairy farmers often only focus on the supply of concentrates and roughage, somewhat neglecting the importance of water, leading to insufficient water intake in dairy cows. This results in reduced appetite, slowed digestion, stunted growth in calves, decreased milk production in adult cows, and serious harm to their health. Therefore, it is essential to pay sufficient attention to the water needs of dairy cows in production.

1. Adequate scientific water supply for dairy cows

The water requirement of dairy cows is related to factors such as season, temperature, feed variety, quantity of feed consumed, age, weight, and milk yield. In an environment around 10°C, for every kilogram of dry feed consumed, the water requirement is approximately 3.54 kilograms. In an environment around 24°C, for every kilogram of dry feed consumed, the water requirement is around 5.5 kilograms. Lactating dairy cows require much more water than non-lactating cows. For example, if a cow produces 30 kilograms of milk daily, a water supply of 90~110 kilograms per day is needed to meet its requirements. There are also differences in daily water requirements between young dairy cows and calves. A one-month-old calf primarily gets its water from milk. Calves aged 1-3 months require about 10 kilograms of water daily, while those aged 3-6 months need about 15 kilograms. Young cows average around 30 kilograms of water daily. If conditions permit, automatic water dispensers can be installed in cowsheds to allow cows to drink whenever they want. Alternatively, water can be supplied at fixed times, usually 3-4 times a day, or 5-6 times in summer. Water troughs should be set up in the exercise area to ensure a supply of fresh and clean drinking water. In short, regardless of the method used, it is crucial to ensure that dairy cows have sufficient water.

1. Summer

In summer, cool water should be provided to dairy cows, or some heat stress-relieving drugs like baking soda and vitamin C can be added to the water. Increasing the number of water containers, ensuring adequate water supply, increasing the frequency and duration of watering, or providing cool mung bean soup during hot weather can help alleviate heat stress in dairy cows and increase milk production.

2. Winter

Dairy cows drink no less water in winter and spring than in summer and autumn. The main reason is that green juicy feed is more abundant in summer and autumn, whereas in winter and spring, the supply of green juicy feed is relatively insufficient, and the intake of dry matter is higher. Therefore, it is also necessary to provide sufficient water to dairy cows in winter and spring. Insufficient water supply directly leads to a decrease in milk production and other functional disorders. Dairy cows should avoid drinking icy water, which can easily cause indigestion and trigger digestive tract diseases, significantly affecting milk production. Ideally, the water should be heated to 10~25 degrees Celsius when given to dairy cows. Additionally, water should be available all day, not just at meal times. It has been proven that feeding part of the concentrate as warm porridge in winter can significantly increase milk production.

Two. Ensuring water quality for dairy cows

1. Water quality meets requirements

Drinking water quality must meet standards, with no more than 10 E. coli per liter, pH value between 7.0~8.5, and water hardness between 10~20 degrees, etc. To ensure good water quality, regular monitoring of drinking water should be conducted. Water with excessive hardness can generally be softened by boiling. In high-fluoride areas, aluminum sulfate or magnesium hydroxide can be added to drinking water to reduce fluoride content.

2. Water source is not contaminated

When selecting water sources, they should meet standards and have sufficient water supply. In urban areas, better-quality tap water should be chosen, while in rural areas, deep well water is preferred. Dairy farms should avoid water sources near pesticide factories, chemical plants, slaughterhouses, etc. Within 50~100 meters of the water source, there should be no pollution sources. If surface water is used as drinking water, it should be treated with sedimentation, purification, and disinfection based on water quality before consumption. Generally, 6~10 grams of bleaching powder or 0.2 grams of bactericide per cubic meter of water can be used. When selecting well water, deep well water is preferred, and the well should be covered and sealed to prevent contamination by debris and sewage. Grazing dairy cows should ideally not drink standing water from ditches or depressions.

3. Ensuring hygiene of drinking water equipment

Drinking water equipment should be kept clean and hygienic, with daily cleaning and regular disinfection. Especially in summer, more attention should be paid to maintaining cleanliness and preventing microbial growth and deterioration of water quality. Additionally, the hygiene of water troughs in the exercise area should not be neglected, requiring daily cleaning and regular disinfection.

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