The demand for dairy products has risen faster than the growth of population in the United States. Although fluid milk consumption has declined, different types of cheese have become significant parts of meals. To the surprise of no one, the bulk of the milk supply goes into manufactured dairy products that–along with cheese–include whey, butter, yogurt, and non-fat dry milk.
Obviously, dairy cows produce fluid milk. The following statistics provide some perspective about the extent of milk production in the United States.
The information in the last column shows the impact of water on milk production. While milk contains 87.10% water, the total body weight of a dairy cow consists of 56 to 81% of water. Dairy cows consume approximately 25 to 27 gallons of water per day to satisfy maintenance, growth, gestation, and milk production needs. Optimal milk production depends on both an adequate supply of water and high quality water.
In addition, the water contains minerals essential for cow health and the production of quality milk. High quality water provides the levels of potassium, magnesium, and other minerals that promote better health in dairy cows.
The amount of water consumed by dairy cows is a key factor for milk production. However, the quality of water has much greater importance. A cow given poor quality water drinks has a less than normal water intake. In addition, poor quality water lacks the nutrients that match the daily growth and health needs of the cow.
For dairy cattle, the amount of total dissolved solids (TDS), the amount of total soluble salts, and salinity define water quality. Research indicates that high amounts of TDS in water affects milk production. Lactating cattle can produce milk while drinking water that has less than 5,000 parts per million (PPM) of TDS. If the amount of TDS in water exceeds 7000 ppm, the health of the cow declines and milk production declines.
The total dissolved solids in water often include higher levels of nitrates that can poison the cellulolytic bacteria that help a dairy cow with digesting fiber and reduce feed intake. Nitrates absorbed into the blood of the cow may also inhibit oxygen-carrying capacity and delivery of oxygen to all tissues. Acute nitrate poisoning can increase abortions in cows and cause violent behavior. Along with nitrates, sulfates in contaminated groundwater can also damage the health of dairy cattle and reduce milk production. Run-off from fields treated with fertilizers, creeks polluted with animal or industrial waste, and crop residues can increase the amount of nitrates and sulfates in water.
Contaminated water also increases the risk of exposing cattle to pathogenic organisms such as coliform bacteria and salmonella. Exposure to the bacteria increases the opportunities for diseases that include Clostridiosis, Mastitis, milk fever, metritis, ketosis, and displaced abomasum. Toxins released by Clostridiosis can cause symptoms that eventually lead to the death of the cow. Coliforms, Streptococcus bacteria, and Staphylococcus bacteria cause Mastitis and inflame the mammary gland, affect the appetite of the cow-and cause a decrease in milk production. Along with production losses seen with decreases in milk consistency and quality, the cost of maintaining cow health increases because of the intake of poor water.
Optimal milk production depends on satisfying the hydration and nutrient requirements of dairy cows. Conditioned water that has the appropriate balance of nutrients and low TDS offers the best solution for dairy cows. In addition, properly conditioned water reduces the possibility of heat stress for dairy cows. Because cows never drink more water than they need, providing quality water for dairy herds also conserves water.
Conditioned water also reduces the opportunities for pathogenic organisms to bring diseases into herds and lessens the chances for nitrate and sulfate toxicity. As a result, dairy farmers can reduce the veterinary costs that increase with diseases.
Magnation Rainbolt
Adding Magnation’s devices to water supplies for dairy cattle conditions water correctly. The combination of magnetism, vortexing, and centrifugal force that occurs through the design of the devices increases flow while reducing biofilms, algae, and bacteria. Dairy cows drinking magnetized water produced by the Rainbolt and Turbulator had improved health and longer lactation periods. Conditioned water produced by Magnation devices have also lowered dairy maintenance costs.
“We were spending upwards of $1,000-$3,000 in bleach every month trying to eliminate the coliform count and control algae growth. Now, we don’t use bleach at all. The only thing we changed was implementing the Magnation system. “Cleaning labor went from 8-9 hours a week down to 3 hours a week. We’re able to just brush any residue away instead of applying chemicals. We’re saving 300 hours a year, at $15 bucks an hour, that’s $4,500 in labor savings this year alone. Magnation is saving us money.” ~ Gooike Dijkstra, Dairy Farmer, Random Lake, WI.
To learn more about improving water quality for dairy farms with Magnation’s product line contact a water conditioning expert by calling 888.820.0363.