ANIMAL HUSBANDARY NOTES.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 8 December 1928, Page 14

ANIMAL HUSBANDARY NOTES.

(By the Department of Agriculture.) A pure and wholesome water supply is essential for all classes of livestock. Animals can live much longer without solid food than without water, apd an insufficiency of water in the body causes serious disturbances. The processes of mastication, digestion, absorption and assimilation are hindered; the intestines are not properly flushed, and waste matter remains too long therein. .Til ruminants, particularly cattle, impaction results, with a consequent decrease in the yield of milk. Under normal conditions animals consume a fairly uniform quantify of water for each pound of dry matter eaten. Depending on the succulence and composition of the food, so will the demand for water lie regulated. Cows require from three to five gallons of water per day when dry, and about three times that amount when in full milk. As water is necessary for digestion and absorption, it is also essential in that it regulates the body temperature. Water is given off in the vapour from the lungs and also from the surfaces of the body. From these remarks it will be seen that a supply of pure water within easy reach on a dairy farm is essential to maintain the cattle in good health. The importance of water may he overlooked as the season advances and more particularly in those areas subject to drought. Stagnant pools are a breeding ground for disease and liable to surface contamination from the animals j themselves. As a water supply for stock generallv. these pools must he condemned. They are liable to harbour tire eggs of internal parasites of stock, and if the pools are foul they may set up digestive disturbance in the animals. The erection of concrete watering troughs for dairy cattle is gradually replacing wooden ones. Concrete | troughs as erected should he provided with an outlet at the bottom of the trough for purposes of periodically draining and cleaning. If raised from the ground those troughs are not liable to contamination by the animals’j feet or droppings. The troughs should be convenient! v situated in the various paddocks so that the rows may have more time to graze and ruminate. If animals have to walk long distances for their water supply they are not so contented and do not give of ; their best in regard to milk yield, t This point is very essential, and will ■ repay for the extra cost in a very , short time. As the area around the trough is liable to heroine waterlogged and boggy in wet weather, it is very desirable to gravel this onrticular part. If gravelled the tendency to foot troubles in the dairy herd is reduced. The milk yield of a herd is considerably influenced b.v the water supply. Iji liigh producing animals the owners see to it that a constant supply of pure water is always within .easy reach *