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