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A note on some of the factors that affect the water consumption of lactating dairy cows at pasture

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 September 2010

C. R. Stockdale  and
K. R. King
C. R. Stockdale
Affiliation:
Department of Agriculture, Animal and Irrigated Pastures Research Institute, R.M.B 3010, Kyabram, Victoria 3620, Australia
K. R. King
Affiliation:
Department of Agriculture, Animal and Irrigated Pastures Research Institute, R.M.B 3010, Kyabram, Victoria 3620, Australia
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Abstract

The influence of the level of dry-matter intake and the dry-matter concentration in the diet on the water consumption of dairy cows in early lactation was investigated for a 2-month period from early August to early October. The importance of the various components of weather on voluntary water intake was also examined. The cows used in the experiment either grazed pasture alone, or were offered pasture and pasture hay supplements. Mean voluntary water intake increased by 2·30 kg per cow per day for every additional kg dry matter consumed and also increased by 0·053 kg per cow per day for each g/kg increase in dry matter concentration. Of the climatic factors, rainfall had the greatest single influence on the daily fluctuations in voluntary water intake and this was negative. Intake was also negatively related to minimum temperature, relative humidity and wind, and positively related to sunshine and evaporation. Although maximum temperature per se had no apparent influence on intake, it showed a positive relationship after the removal of the effects of rainfall. A model for the prediction of total water consumption is:

Total water consumption (kg per cow per day) = 11·34 + 4·63 dry-matter intake (kg per cow per day) –0·036 dry-matter concentration (g/kg) + 0·84 mean temperature (°C).

This can only be used to predict the water requirements of lactating dairy cows in different environments.

Type
Research Article
Information
Animal Production , Volume 36 , Issue 2 , April 1983 , pp. 303 - 306
Copyright
Copyright © British Society of Animal Science 1983

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References

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