From 22°C onwards, dairy cows are at risk of heat stress. Sufficient, clean and easily accessible drinking water ensures good water intake. This not only helps cows regulate their body temperature, but also affects:
In this article, Rudmer Hilverda, sales representative at Spinder, shares his tips for creating an optimal water supply and helping prevent heat stress in dairy cattle.
Cows use water to regulate their body temperature. In addition, milk consists largely of water, which means that high-yielding cows need particularly large amounts of drinking water.
A dairy cow needs around 4 litres of water for every litre of milk she produces. From a barn temperature of 30°C onwards, her water requirement may even double (Gezondheidsdienst voor Dieren, 2015).
A dairy cow producing 40 kg of milk per day has a daily water requirement of 100 to 185 litres.
Rudmer: “Water is the cheapest feed there is. The more water cows drink, the more dry matter they consume and the more milk they produce.”
In warm weather, a cow’s water requirement is much higher than under normal conditions. If your cows cannot drink enough, they are less able to regulate their body temperature. As a result, their body temperature rises, which can lead to reduced feed intake, rumen acidosis and a drop in milk production.
How do you make sure cows drink enough water? Start with enough drinking points: the more, the better. Cows can be very dominant around drinking troughs, which may prevent lower-ranking cows from drinking enough. Make sure every cow has unrestricted access to drinking water.
Rudmer: “There should always be enough drinking water available, and it should be easy to access. Cows should never have to wait to drink.”
Would you be willing to drink from your cows’ drinking troughs? A cow’s sense of smell is seven times stronger than that of a human. A dirty drinking trough can therefore quickly lead to reduced water intake.
In warm weather, maintaining drinking troughs is especially important. As temperatures rise, the bacterial count in drinking water also increases, allowing bacteria and pathogens to multiply rapidly. That is why drinking troughs should be cleaned more frequently during warm weather.
Our advice:
Dairy cows drink on average 6 to 9 times a day. To meet their water requirement, it is important to design drinking areas around the needs of the cow.
A cow can drink up to 15 litres per minute. This means she needs quick access to a large amount of water. Cows prefer drinking from a large water surface, as this provides an immediately available supply of water.
Cows prefer to drink close to the ground. For this reason, a drinking trough should be installed at a height of 50 to 70 cm. The lower it is, the better it is for the cow.
Rudmer: "Many dairy farmers expect more manure to end up in the trough if it is installed at a lower height. However, experienced farmers who already use this setup find that this is not the case, provided there is enough space around the drinking trough".
There is a chance that cows may occasionally put a foot in the water. This can be prevented by fitting a special protective bracket to the concrete wall.
Drinking troughs must be easy to access. Make sure they are positioned where there is enough space available. Cows must be able to pass each other safely.
A clear view above the drinking troughs is also recommended. Cows are prey animals and like to be able to look around while drinking.
The ideal drinking area is:
Our Pingo drinking troughs offer a large drinking surface and are easy to clean.
By law, there must be at least 7 cm of drinking trough length per cow available in the barn. For higher-producing cows, we recommend 10 cm per cow.
The drinking trough length refers to the net internal measurement of the trough, so edges and float covers do not count. Install at least two drinking points per group, but again: the more, the better.
Our advice:
Not sure whether the drinking water provision in your barn is up to standard?
Ask your Spinder dealer for advice.
During warm weather, it is especially important to provide enough drinking places. With 10 cm of drinking trough length per cow, you are well prepared.
If there is not enough space in the existing barn to install additional drinking troughs, place temporary extra drinking points during the summer period. For example, you could place a pasture drinking trough in one or more doorways.
Why should you pay extra attention to drinking water provision in warm weather?
By ensuring:
you reduce the risk of heat stress and support both milk production and animal health.
Would you like to know whether your drinking water provision is sufficient during warm periods? Our specialists will be happy to take a look with you.