When it comes to optimal livestock performance, supplementation is often the focus – what goes into the supplement, how it is delivered and how can we track the results. This is important, however there are many factors that can impact performance. Water quality is one of them.
Why water quality matters
Water quality and availability of clean and uncontaminated water is vital for hydration, rumination, and overall health of livestock. Livestock are sensitive to water taste and odour, so providing palatable water is critical in preventing refusal to drink.
Water with a pH around 7 is considered neutral, and cattle typically drink water with a pH ranging from 6 to 9. However, as the pH approaches 9, water quality diminishes, leading to potential microbial issues and elevated levels of calcium and magnesium, which can cause crystallisation in water lines.
Water quality can impact:
- Livestock hydration: When water quality is poor, livestock may drink less than they need, reducing productivity and impacting welfare.
- Health & performance risks: Contaminated or unstable water can lead to both poor feed intake and conversion, digestive issues, and reduced weight gain in livestock. Plus, increase susceptibility to disease.
- Supplement performance: Water quality plays a critical role in ensuring supplements delivered through water supplementation are the most effective and beneficial to livestock.
- Thermoregulation: Clean water is essential for thermoregulation, particularly in hot climates or during stressful events like mustering and weaning, helping to mitigate heat stress and maintain performance levels.
Understanding your water quality
Understanding water quality is the first step in improving supplement performance. This is particularly important if you use, or are considering, water supplementing to improve the productivity and cost efficiency of your supplementation program.
Start with a water sample.
Taking and analysing a water sample in a lab will help identify potential issues before they affect livestock performance and supplementation.
Soon, DIT AgTech will be making this even easier. With the upcoming launch of DIT Lab, producers will have access to on-demand water testing and analysis. This means better decision-making, optimised water-based supplement use, and greater efficiency for producers.
Choosing the right supplement for your water conditions
Unlike traditional supplementing, water supplementing is an effective way to ensure all your livestock are receiving the right amount of nutrients, every single day.
Not all supplements perform the same in every water condition. DIT AgTech’s uPRO supplement range has been specifically designed to be soluble, stable, and effective in Australian conditions.
- Trials have shown:
uPRO GREEN remains stable even in challenging environments, making it the preferred supplementation in environments where water quality and conditions cannot be controlled.
- uPRO ORANGE and uPRO ORANGE HP are reliable but more prone to nutrient loss in the presence of algae.
Selecting the right supplement based on your water’s pH, flow rate, and quality can significantly improve supplementation efficiency and livestock performance.
Best practices for water quality & supplementation
Ensuring water quality isn’t complicated, but it does require regular attention. Here are four key steps to keep your water-based supplements working effectively:
- Keep water troughs clean: Microorganisms and urease enzymes build up in troughs, which can affect nitrogen and phosphorus breakdown. Regular flushing and scrubbing are essential.
- Ensure continuous water flow: Stagnant or low-flow water systems promote supplement degradation. A system left unused for more than 14 days can lead to complete nitrogen loss.
- Test your water regularly: Hard water with high pH, electrical conductivity, or dissolved solids can impact supplement absorption. Regular testing helps prevent unexpected issues.
- Use sealed water tanks where possible: This helps protect nitrogen stability, preventing unnecessary losses and ensuring livestock receive the full nutritional benefits.
Optimising supplementation through better water management
Water quality isn’t always the first thing that comes to mind when supplementing livestock, but it plays a crucial role in getting the best results. Regular testing, proper water management, and choosing the right supplement can make a huge difference to both livestock productivity and farm profitability.
Want to learn more about water supplementing and testing? Contact DIT AgTech today and be among the first to access the benefits of DIT Lab.
