Water

Learn to use water more efficiently in the dairy shed and improve irrigation and pumping system productivity.

Water is often ignored in dairy herd nutrition. However, it is the first nutrient, and unrestricted access to clean, fresh drinking water is essential for dairy cow productivity, health and welfare. A cow’s body is between 60 to 80% water and milk is 87% water. Water is essential for regulation of body temperature, rumen fermentation, flow of feed through the digestive tract, nutrient absorption, metabolism and waste removal. Water also has structural and functional roles in all cells and all body fluids.

The following resources will help you better understand water for your farm.