Variability of Water Composition and Potential Impact on Animal Performance

Abstract

Water is often overlooked as an important nutrient in livestock diets. Animals need a plentiful supply of good, clean water for normal rumen fermentation and metabolism, proper flow of feed through the digestive tract, nutrient absorption, maintaining normal blood volume and tissue requirements. In addition to assessing adequacy and cleanliness of waterers, as well as water supply, nutrition advisors and clinicians need to assess chemical composition of water. Despite the importance of water to livestock, limited research has examined the water composition variability and the impact on animal performance. This paper summarizes survey results of 3651 water samples collected throughout the United States of America.