WATER

Manawatu Times, Volume LV, Issue 7296, 5 August 1930, Page 10

WATER

Its Uses on the Farm

The,title “Water” proved a very apt one for an address given by Mr. P. O. Vcale, research chemist for the Federated Taranaki Dairy Factories, before delegates to the National Dairy Association Conference held recently at Hamilton. Undoubtedly, the quantity and quality of the water, available should bo an ’item of first importance to every farm owner. Assuming that every farmer realised the importance of having ample drinking water readily available to the live stock, Mr. Veale stressed the necessity for paying some attention, at least, to quality. The absenco of minerals from water, lie stated, was most desirable as, apart from not being too palatable for .stock, it quite frequently brought about a depression in the milk yield. Contrary to general opinion, a reasonable. quantity of vegetable matter in drinking water was of no great importance as far as cattle were concerned, oven if the vegetable matter was m a state of decomposition; even active pollution from sewerage was not in itself something to bo dreaded. The great point as far as drinking water for cattle was concerned was whether the cattle drank it. If cattle hung off water, it might safely be assumed that there was something wrong with it. It might be the temperature, but whatever it was, the fact that cattle were showiug a disinclination to touch their drinking water should bo sufficient to start an immediate investigation as to the cause. 111 the selection of water for household use on tho farm, the quality could be judged within reasonable limits by those concerned without having it tested by : a bacteriologist. Water used in the houso should be entirely free from sewerage pollution, animal or human. One simple test for purity' was to take a clean glass jar, of the Mason preserving type for preference, and fill it with the water under test warmed to blood heat; tho water should bo allowed to stand for 24 hours, and if at the end of that time it gave off an objectionable smell it could bo safely assumed that it was not all it should bo for human consumption. Anot.hor simple test was to place a few drops of Condy’s fluid in the water and, if after a few hours the colour

had disappeared, it could bo assumed that there was organism in the water. At the cowshed tho main point with respect to the water should be quantity; in the ordinary course very little of tho Water used in the shed came in contact with the milk and, to avoid the risk of pollution in this connection, only boiled water should be used in the final washing of machines and utensils. A trace of inodorous disinfectant, such as Gondy’s fluid, should always be used in washing tho cows’ teats and udders prior to milking. In the butter factory purity was a matter of relatively greater importance, as bad flavours and poor keeping qualities had frequently been traced to the water used in manufacture. Undoubtedly, many farmers could pay' greater attention to their supply of water; in many instances paddocks were not equipped with au easily availably .supply at all seasons of the year and, further, and of greater importance with regard to keeping up the quality of New Zealand’s dairy produce, too little was used in the sheds in a big majority of instances. In the campaign for improving quality, New Zealand dairymen could not well lose sight of that fact.