Water Quality

Drinking water access and quality

Water is often ignored in dairy herd nutrition. However, it is the first nutrient. Unrestricted access to clean, fresh drinking water is essential for dairy cow productivity, health and welfare.

A cow’s body is between 60 to 80% water and milk is 87% water. Water is essential for regulation of body temperature, rumen fermentation, flow of feed through the digestive tract, nutrient absorption, metabolism and waste removal. Water also has structural and functional roles in all cells and all body fluids.

The stock water budgeting tool helps dairy farmers assess the risk of running short on stock water at key times of the year.

Download the 'Drinking water access and quality' fact sheet.

Key messages

Cows are sensitive to water access and quality problems
During hot weather, a lactating cow can drink more than 200 litres of water per day
Provide water troughs in each paddock as well as in laneways
Give cows the opportunity to drink immediately before and after milking
Cows on a sacrifice paddock or feedpad should have access to two water troughs at all times
Water troughs should be easy to clean and be cleaned regularly
The only way to know if water is fit for cows to drink is to get it tested by a specialist laboratory