Daily water requirements for livestock
Daily water consumption of grazing livestock depends on the physical condition and size of the animal and the environmental conditions that surround the animal.
Factors that affect livestock water consumption are:
- Weather conditions, temperature, sunshine, shade, wind.
- Livestock travel distance to water.
- Water quality.
- Water temperature.
- Trough space and herd crowding at waterer.
- Type, moisture content and amount of feed consumed.
- Light level, time of day.
- Animal activity level.
- Physical dimensions of water access and depth of water.
Water is an essential nutrient for livestock, and animals with a limited water supply can have health challenges. Producers need to have both a summer and a winter plan to provide adequate water to cattle. A cow typically drinks 1.5 gallons of water per 100 pounds of weight each day in summer and 0.75 gallons in winter. Water is the most important nutrient in a winter event such as a snow and ice storm.
Producers who depend on electricity to fill cattle waterers and to keep them from freezing should have a backup generator for use during power outages. If livestock stop drinking water, check for stray voltage.
Water Consumption of Livestock
A good rule of thumb is that a horse needs at least a gallon of water per 100 pounds of body weight. For the average horse, this equals 10 gallons a day. Water requirements vary greatly according to the weather and the level of work that the horse is doing (Table 1). For instance, if the horse is exercising in hot, humid weather, it may need 2 to 4 times the minimum amount.
Water consumption increases with increased temperature, salt intake, and protein intake.
Table 1: Livestock daily water requirements.
| Average gal/day | Lbs water per lbs dry feed | 40F* | 60F* | 80F* | |
| Cows | |||||
| Dry and bred | 6-15 | ||||
| Wintering pregnant | 6.0 | 7.4 | |||
| Nursing | 11-18 | 11.4 | 14.5 | 17.9 | |
| Dairy | 15-30 | 30-40 | |||
| Feeders | 4-15 | ||||
| Calf | 4-5 | 9-10 | |||
| Small calves | 0.6-0.84 | ||||
| Large Calves | 0.42.0.66 | ||||
| Growing cattle @600 lbs | 3-8 | 8-13 | |||
| Growing cattle @800 lbs | 7.3 | 9.1 | 12.3 | ||
| Feedlot cattle @1,000 lbs | 8-13 | 14-21 | |||
| Beef | 8-12 | 20-25 | |||
| Bulls | 7-19 | 8.7 | 10.8 | 14.5 | |
| Sheep and Goats | 2-3 | 3-4 | |||
| Llamas | 5 | ||||
| Horses | 10-15 | 20-25 | |||
| Swine | 6-8 | 8-12 |
*Air Temperature
Sources
Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine. 2006. Dehydration and electrolyte losses in the sport horse. Tufts University. Medford, Mass.
Guyer, P. 1977. Beef cattle nutrition. Lincoln NebGuide 8. Univ. of Nebraska, Lincoln.
Landefeld, M. and J. Bettinger. 2002. Livestock water development. Fact Sheet ANR-12-02. Ohio State Univ. Extension., Columbus, Ohio. Midwest Plan Service. 1975. Private water systems handbook, 4th edition, MWPS-14, Ames, Iowa.
National Research Council. 1996. Nutrient requirements for beef cattle, 7th edition.