Farmers Warned About Over-Watering Cattle
IRELAND - With more sub-zero temperatures forecast, farmers have been warned not to give too much water to cattle that have been deprived of it for a time as it can kill them.
4 January 2011
1 minute read
According to a report in the Irish Times some farmers lost cattle in the freeze of 2009-2010, when they did not prevent cattle drinking too much water when supplies came on stream again.
Veterinary surgeon and medical doctor, Professor Patrick Wall, told the newspaper that allowing cattle to drink too much water after a time without it is very dangerous.
“Cattle, especially milking cows, need enormous amounts of water daily and they have to have access to it at all times,” he said.
This was not possible when pipes and water supplies froze on farms and sometimes animals were left without.
“Allowing them to drink too much after being without can kill them or make them seriously ill with digestive problems. This has to be carefully monitored,” Prof Wall said.
The paper reports the associate professor of public health in the University College Dublin School of Public Health and Population saying that the weather had also created difficulties with hygiene, in particular with the amounts of clean water that are needed to keep milk transporters clean.
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