Water the essential nutrient ...
Many of us may not think of water as being a nutrient, however, its
vital importance will create life threatening health conditions more
quickly than any other component of a diet if not available. Water
is essential for almost all bodily functions. So, we at SPI,
definitely term water a "nutrient".
A constant supply of clean fresh water is one of the most essential components in a livestock feeding program. Water accounts for 50-80% of an animals weight (depending on the species).
Livestock demand for water will vary depending on many factors, some of these being:
- time of day
- temperature
- climate
- species of animal
- weight of animal
- level of activity or work
- feeding program
- life situation eg. nursing mare, lactating cow
Articles
The Water Imperative by Mark Bowman
Water Effects on Livestock Performance (PDF File format) by Mark Landefeld and Jeff Bettinger
Water Quality at Crossroads Katie Savage, writer. Katie Savage is a student writer with the Students Promoting Awareness of Research Knowledge (SPARK) program at the University of Guelph.
Winter Water by Marj Piazza
