60 NEBRASKA CATTLEMAN March 2024 “If cattle aren’t hanging out by water on hot days, we can be pretty certain there is an issue,” says Erin Woodward, key feed accounts manager at Servitech. “Mature cows need 10 gallons of water every day, and feeder cattle need 10 to 12 gallons. If they’re not getting that, we need to act quickly.” Noticing a “sheen” on water after it has sat can also be an indicator of heavy metals and warrants testing as well. The physiological impacts of poor water quality, especially hardness, can be difficult to pinpoint because the symptoms can take time to develop and can be attributed to a number of factors. “With hardness in water, we’re basically looking at calcium and magnesium or calcium carbonate interacting with WATER QUALITY CONTINUED FROM PAGE 58 CONTINUED ON PAGE 62 Tips for Successful Water Sampling 1. Clean vs. Sterile All samples are not created equal. Know what you’re testing for and plan accordingly. Most samples can be taken in a clean bottle, but sterile containers can be supplied by your lab if you’re testing for bacteria. 2.Find the Flow Don’t sample from stagnant water. Point the open container toward where the water flows from for the best quality sample. 3.Seal Tightly Many samples leak during shipping. Seal your container tightly, tape around the lid and consider placing it in a sealed plastic bag before shipping. 4. Ask for Directions Before taking samples, reach out to your lab and ask for their recommended sampling procedures to be sure you’re capturing the best quality samples. the minerals in cattle diets. As a result, we see some kind of nondescript mineral issue that can’t be pinpointed to diet alone.” Kern-Lunbery says. With elevated nitrate and sulfate levels, serious symptoms typically come from high levels in both water and diet.
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