The Over looked Nutrient
When you are in the business of raising cattle it becomes a combination of art and science to balance the nutrients, minerals, proteins and carbohydrates the animals need to thrive at various life stages, from birth to the feedlot. There is one component to this critical balancing act that is often taken for granted or undervalued. Welcome to Open Range, I’m Susan Allen stay tuned you might be surprised to learn what it is. So much time and energy goes into in just getting the feed components right to produce quality beef but one nutrient that is often taken for granted, yet can have a big impact on the well being of the cattle, water. Making sure cattle are properly hydrated goes beyond just filling the trough. In a recent report Called Water Requirements for Beef Cattle Dr. Rick Rasby, Professor of Animal Science, University of Nebraska Lincoln provided four good rules beef producers should adhere to. 1. Daily water intake may vary from 3 to 30 gallons depending on age, weight, and temperature. 2. As a rule of thumb, consumption will range from 1 gallon per 100 pounds of body weight during cold weather to 2 gallons per 100 pounds of body weight in high temperatures. Lactating cows require nearly twice as much water as dry cows and finally, 4. The importance of offering clean fresh water free of dirt, manure and other debris. A couple other good points to note are the animal’s current diet. A diet high in protein or salt requires increased water. Also if the animal is stressed or very active they will lose water through evaporation and sweating though both their skin and lungs.
