No upper limit established because of limited experimental data. Back To Top Cattle should not have unlimited access to ponds and streams. In addition to using these water sources for drinking, cattle will also loaf in water, especially in hot weather. This results in both fecal and urinary contamination. In ponds and slow flowing streams, this results in deteriorating water quality as summer progresses.
Cows can also contract diseases such as mastitis and leptospirosis from lounging in dirty water.
When cattle have recently been sprayed with insecticides or tagged with fly tags, they should not be allowed to loaf in water. Allowing free access to ponds can result in fish kills, or possibly complete sterilization of a pond. Ponds can be kept clean and provide good quality water if they are fenced, and cattle have access to only a small area in one corner, or if water is run through a pipe to a tank at the base of the dam. Quality of the pond for recreational uses such as swimming and fishing will also be improved by keeping the cattle out. Weeds and algae may be a problem in ponds, especially if they get drainage water from cropland, or if cattle have free access to the ponds.