Cows and water

[dun]

All ofthe girls are in the 3rd stage so no lactation affects.
From Saturday until Tuesday afternoon there was no liquid water available for the girls. Took that long to fix broken water lines in the pump house and thaw out everything that was frozen solid (heater in the pump house burned out). The ladys had been out eating frozen, i.e. ice coated grass and hay during that period, that was the only water available. Finally got water to them and had to drive them to the water point. They were pretty leery of going into the area because a lot of large limbs had been falling in there and I think they were afraid morewould be coming. Forced them in anyway. One cow took a sip and turned round and walked out. The others wandered off, layed down and chewed their cuds. Apparantly they had gotten enough moisture from just eating the ice for those few days.
Nothing earth shattering but I found it interesting.

dun

 

[SaskHerf]

Lots of cows in our area that eat snow, i guess that's a little different but close, they always survive.

 

[dun]

Lots of cows in our area that eat snow, i guess that's a little different but close, they always survive.

I had figured snow would work ok, but solid ice cubes seemed to be stretching it. Obviously any form of moisture, as long as they're willing to use it, is adequate.

dun

 

[sidney411]

I also found it interesting that ours were grazing on ice covered grass like it wasn't ice covered. Seems like it would make them colder from the inside out but they sure didn't seen to mind. I walked out there to watch and they were crunching it, pretty neat. Some of the calves were biting the barb wire fences breaking the ice off them and eating it.

 

[Rustler9]

Those are some interesting observations. I would have thought that the cows in dun's case would have went right to the water, evidently the ice was enough.

 

[twabscs]

Up here in NW Missouri, it's been cold (below say 15) every night now for three weeks. The ice on most ponds is 6-8 inches thick. I've had to start chopping ice for my girls, but once I have a hole opened up, they do a good job of keeping it open.

However, I've noticed that lots/most of places around me do not do anything to get their cows water in these conditions. I see lots of cows digging and poking around at pond edges, creek bottoms, etc. They all act thirsty but the ponds have been this way for weeks now. What I'm saying is that the old timers seem to just let the cows wait out the cold and/or let them just lick ice and snow to get what water they can.

Anyway, I'm new to this and I was overly worried that my 3rd stage cows weren't getting enough water, but as Dun says, when I cut a hole in the ice for them, they don't come running or anything. I even put some corn down to coax them over for a drink. They ate the corn and left.

Oh, I do have three calves on the ground (early drops) and these mothers are a bit more anxious to get water, but you can expect that. I'm guessing lactation doubles the amount of water a cow needs.

 

[bigbull338]

yes when a cow calves.she has to have water to produce milk.if my memory it takes 8 gal of water to produce a dal of milk.

 

[stocky]

twabscs, cows have to have water. How much depends on whether they are suckling a calf or not and how much energy they are expending and how much salt they are eating. We were only out of electricity for 2 days, while neighbors of ours were out 10 and some further away dont have electricity, yet. We have neighbors who only have electric waterers and with no electricity, the cows drank the water out of them and the lines froze and busted. It could have been alot worse because we didnt have much of a cold spell--a couple of nights down to around 5 above. Usually this time of year, there are several nights bellow 0 when the snow is on. We have no electric waterers and almost all of the pastures have springs in them. The ones that have ponds, if you do not chop the ice, the cows will walk out on the ice and get down or break through. It is very important to chop ice for the cows if there is no other scource of water in the field. You are setting yourself up for disaster if they cant get water, but they can walk out on the ice

 

[Rustler9]

This article kind of goes along with what dun what stating about his cows eating the frozen grass and the other responses to the post. This was taken from The TLBAA (Texas Longhorn Breeders) eTrails site. Originally published in the American Cowman.

Livestock can use snow as a water source


Adult cattle, sheep and horses are able to use snow as their primary source of water, reports Rick Rasby, animal science professor at the University of Nebraska - Lincoln, according to studies conducted in Canada and the United States.

The studies indicate that the heat produced from feeding/grazing and normal body metabolism is apparently more than adequate to melt the ingested snow and bring it to body temperature. There were no metabolic differences observed between animals given snow or water, and there is apparently no additional metabolic energy required for cattle wintered in this manner. The Canadians concluded that snow provided producers with an additional option as a water source for livestock during the winter.

Rasby says Quinn Cattle Company in Northwest Nebraska working with Animal Scientist at the University of Nebraska, has applied this research to their ranch with excellent results. Over a five year period, they have wintered adult cows from 45 to 70 days with snow as their major source of water. They stressed the importance of cattle knowing how to eat snow because it is a learned behavior.

It is also critical adequate snow is available, and it does not form a hard crust, preventing them from obtaining enough snow to meet their needs.

Rasby says it appears snow is a viable water source for cows that are gestating, especially if there is not a thick, hard crust. Reports also indicated that the fetus is not compromised. It has been reported that cows that are lactating can not obtain enough water from snow and milk output will be reduced.



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[twabscs]

Stocky,

I do chop ice for my cows. My point was that very few around me do it, but heck, most don't vaccinate or do much else for their cows either. My other point is that even though I chop ice for my cows, they don't seem to care.

I see your point that the cows will go out onto the ice looking for water in divots and such, but I've seen them do that even when there is an open hole that I've chopped for them. Just more reason for me to have better winter water facilities next year, and I plan to.

Thanks,

Tom

 

[Carlos D.]

yes when a cow calves.she has to have water to produce milk.if my memory it takes 8 gal of water to produce a dal of milk.

were low on water here and I've been hauling it .So when you do that you notice how much they drink I have a 15 gallon trough in the barn 1 old girl drank 2 1/2 trough fulls in one sitting and then at night she drank some more

carl

 

[Carlos D.]

This article kind of goes along with what dun what stating about his cows eating the frozen grass and the other responses to the post. This was taken from The TLBAA (Texas Longhorn Breeders) eTrails site. Originally published in the American Cowman.

Livestock can use snow as a water source


Adult cattle, sheep and horses are able to use snow as their primary source of water, reports Rick Rasby, animal science professor at the University of Nebraska - Lincoln, according to studies conducted in Canada and the United States.

The studies indicate that the heat produced from feeding/grazing and normal body metabolism is apparently more than adequate to melt the ingested snow and bring it to body temperature. There were no metabolic differences observed between animals given snow or water, and there is apparently no additional metabolic energy required for cattle wintered in this manner. The Canadians concluded that snow provided producers with an additional option as a water source for livestock during the winter.

Rasby says Quinn Cattle Company in Northwest Nebraska working with Animal Scientist at the University of Nebraska, has applied this research to their ranch with excellent results. Over a five year period, they have wintered adult cows from 45 to 70 days with snow as their major source of water. They stressed the importance of cattle knowing how to eat snow because it is a learned behavior.

It is also critical adequate snow is available, and it does not form a hard crust, preventing them from obtaining enough snow to meet their needs.

Rasby says it appears snow is a viable water source for cows that are gestating, especially if there is not a thick, hard crust. Reports also indicated that the fetus is not compromised. It has been reported that cows that are lactating can not obtain enough water from snow and milk output will be reduced.



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well that may be true ---but if you show them water when they've had to eat snow because the water fountain froze up ---better get to h$$l out of the way

carl

 

[cherokeeruby]

I am sure English cattle have no trouble getting enough water eating snow, but Brahmans have no experience with snow and can die of thirst during extended cold spells. We had a cold spell in '83 where the temperature never got above freezing for over a week and I know a guy that lost a lot of Brahmans that winter.

When we first got Brahmans a funny little story on the ice breaking story happened. The pond was frozen pretty deep and I was down there chopping my heart out. The cows came wandering over and I called them to where I was chopping. They ignored me and continued on to another spot on the edge of the pond. One of the older cows about 1400 lbs stepped out on the ice and stood still all four feet planted solid. I was yelling for her to get off knowing she would crash through. I heard the ice start to creak and groan. The ice broke in a cow shaped rectangle. She calmly backed up, began the drink and the rest of the cows joined her. Maybe they are smarter than we think.

 

[cherokeeruby]

I am sure English cattle have no trouble getting enough water eating snow, but Brahmans have no experience with snow and can die of thirst during extended cold spells. We had a cold spell in '83 where the temperature never got above freezing for over a week and I know a guy that lost a lot of Brahmans that winter.

When we first got Brahmans a funny little story on the ice breaking story happened. The pond was frozen pretty deep and I was down there chopping my heart out. The cows came wandering over and I called them to where I was chopping. They ignored me and continued on to another spot on the edge of the pond. One of the older cows about 1400 lbs stepped out on the ice and stood still all four feet planted solid. I was yelling for her to get off knowing she would crash through. I heard the ice start to creak and groan. The ice broke in a cow shaped rectangle. She calmly backed up, began the drink and the rest of the cows joined her. Maybe they are smarter than we think.