WATER AND SALT REQUIREMENTS 243 



The ration given while on maintenance was exactly the same 

 as fed when in milk, except in regard to quantity. The large 

 water requirement by the cow in milk, as shown in these tables, 

 suggests, as has been found by practical experience, that it is 

 exceedingly important to supply an abundance of good water 

 to cows producing milk. It is evidently much more impor- 

 tant that an abundance of water close at hand, and not too 

 cold, be supplied to heavy milking cows than is the case when 

 the animals are on maintenance only. Cows that are not 

 producing milk do not need to be watered more than once a 

 day in the winter time, and at this season they do not seem to 

 care for it oftener than this. In the summer the consumption 

 of water by cattle on maintenance is greater on account of the 

 greater evaporation from the skin ; and while cattle will thrive 

 when watered once per day, they relish it oftener and will 

 do better if supplied twice per day. Cows on heavy feed, 

 producing large quantities of milk, should always have access 

 to good water at least twice per day at all seasons. For the 

 best results with dairy cows, water of good quality should be 

 supplied close at hand, since if they be required to walk a long 

 distance in cold weather, on account of the discomforts of ex- 

 posure, they will not drink a sufficient amount to supply the 

 demands of the body and will give a less amount of milk than 

 they otherwise would, on account of not having consumed a 

 sufficient quantity of water. In other words, the cow may 

 suffer for lack of suitable water just as easily as for lack of 

 feed. 



The best source of supply for drinking purposes for dairy 

 cattle is deep well water pumped into a tank or a cement 

 trough. Next to this is running streams or springs. The 

 use of ponds as a means of supplying water is not objection- 



