Although water makes up half of a grower-finisher’s body, it is the most neglected nutrient. Animals drink almost twice as much as they eat, making clean, fresh water essential for their growth. The microbiological quality of water has a tremendous impact on health and performance.
Water plays an important role in temperature control, nutrient transport, waste and digestive processes, and if compromised, can negatively affect performance, health and well-being. Insufficient water or feed intake, accompanied by unexplained drops in health or performance, may indicate water quality issues.
Sub-optimal water quality will negatively impact health and performance of animals and lead to decreased profitability for the farmer.
To ensure water quality for the herd, it must be monitored from source to drinker. We recommend a comprehensive biosecurity and farm management programme that starts with good water at the source and ensures hygienic conditions throughout the water system.
