Jasper County Democrat, Volume 15, Number 29, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 13 July 1912 — WATER REQUIRED BY DAIRY COW [ARTICLE]

WATER REQUIRED BY DAIRY COW

Should Be Pure and Fresh and Easy of Access to Animal in Pasture and in Barnyard. Inasmuch as it has been proven by actual experiments that the average cow will drink 1,600 pounds of water a month, great care should be exercised to provide her with water. That is true enough, but there are two other points that need to be also included. 1. This Abater should be pure. Impure water is just as hurtful to the health and vigor of a cow as it is to a human being. It produces disease just the same. It reduces the amount of milk the cow would naturally give. 2. The water should be easy of access for the cow, both in the pasture and the barnyard. With a large herd of cows, say 30 to 50, it is a good plan to have two or three watering tanks in the yard, where the cows are watered out of doors. It is worth while also to have a man remain in the yard while they are drinking, to drive the master cows away from the tanks as soon as they have drunk their fill. In turning cows out to drink, It is a good plan to first turn out the underlings and the most timid ones, giving them plenty of time to get what water they want undisturbed. Lots of money can be lost with a herd of cows by being Indifferent or careless on this water question.