CARE OF DOMESTIC ANIMALS 48$ 



than one at rest or that is idle, and a horse severely 

 exercised will take more than one moderately exer- 

 cised. A cow giving milk will drink more water than 

 one dry. A steer that is being fattened will take more 

 water than a store steer and the same is true of sheep and 

 swine when going through the fattening process, as com- 

 pared with animals of the same class that are simply being 

 grown. More water is called for as exercise increases in the 

 horse to replace the amount lost through a corresponding- 

 increase in the activity of the glands of the skin and of the 

 respiratory organs. With cows giving milk and animals 

 that are being fattened, the increase is due to increase in 

 food consumption which calls for corresponding increase in 

 water consumption to carry on properly the digestive proc- 

 esses. 



From what has been said, it will be apparent, that it is 

 not possible to state the exact amount of water required by 

 animals. It has been claimed that cattle require about 4 

 pounds of water for each pound of dry matter in the food 

 and that sheep call for half that amount. A number of 

 experiments have been conducted to throw light upon this 

 question and findings may be given, but why give them? 

 As a rule the water supply is unlimited. It is also certain 

 that under normal conditions, animals will not drink it 

 to excess. It is equally true that they should have access to 

 it with reasonable frequency and to the extent of their 

 needs. The important considerations, therefore, are not 

 such as relate to the amount that will be consumed, but 

 rather such as have a bearing on the abundance of the 

 supply, its easy accessibility and its temperature. 



The temperature of water for stock is of considerable 

 importance both winter and summer. In winter it is too 

 cold for best use when ice forms on it. Especially is this 

 true of water for cows giving milk. On the other hand, 

 experiments have shown that but little advantage comes 

 from heating water for dairy cows that is entirely free 

 from ice, when taken in a comfortable place. Water should 



