David K. Beede
Dairy Nutrition and Management, Nutrient and Environmental Management
Are feed intake and milk yield less than expected because water intake is low? Or, is water intake below normal because of low feed intake and milk production? These are always difficult questions to answer. This paper lined to below emphasizes practical evaluation of drinking water quality and nutritional adequacy to meet the demands of dairy cattle. Typically, two main questions (criteria) are of interests when assessing water quality and nutrition. 1) Is water intake normal, depending on physiological state of the animals and their environment? 2) Are anti-quality factors present in water that may affect water intake, or normal metabolic or physiological functions of animals?