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Show I $ N ft WATER SUPPLY IS IMPORTANT ITEM Cow Must Have It to Aid in Digesting Food for Milk. (By G. A. WiUiani3, Purdue JJniveraity) The importance of a liberal supply of pure fresh water for the dairy herd during tho winter season should be given careful consideration on every i farm. Many herds are undersupplied j at this time. ! There are more than eight gallons I of water In each 100 pounds of milk. I The cow must have walur to assist In I digesting the food which nial;es the : milk. Then the Dody gives off moisture mois-ture In d lit Ion to t'ae other needs. It requires nearly si von pounds of water for each quart of r.iillc which a cow produces. This must come from the feed or the water trough. During the winter season a hirje port of the ration consumed con-sumed is dry rouglir.se. Tins necessitates necessi-tates the drinking of larger amounts of water than If pasture were a part of the daily feed. When the water consumed con-sumed is iosuflieitnt the effect is not long In reaching tho milk pail. Watering the milking herd once daily is not often enough. Such a practice forces the cow to consume five, eight or perhaps ten gallons at one time. Although the stomach of the cow Is larger than that of any other of our farm animals, taking this large quantity of liquid into the stomach at one time tends to interfere with the digestion of the feed. This Is especially espe-cially (rue If the temperature of the water Is near the freezing point. Water at a low temperature must be raised to approximately body temperature tempera-ture before It can he assimilated by the Issues. Dent must be absorbed from the body to accomplish this. Inasmuch In-asmuch as part of tho feed which an animal eats goes for the production of heat and energy, the consumption of large amounts of cold water tends to Increase the f"od supply used for this purpose. . Dairy cattle In milk should be supplied sup-plied with water not colder than 50 degrees Fahrenheit. Even In winter water pumped from the well will not be colder, hut as it stands In the trough on a cold day the temperature approaches ap-proaches the fnv.ins point. Many dairymen are tinding the tank heater a very profitable Investment for the dairy herd where a water system In not Installed in the barn. The expense for fuel required to heat the water consumed by the stock I almost negligible. Some dairymen use corncobs for the purpose. It Is poor policy to u?e a well balanced ration ra-tion to Increase the ndlk flow when the herd la not receiving enough water. wa-ter. The water supply Is an Important Item on the dairy farm In winter. |