Care should be taken to prevent nails and other metal from falling into feed mangers. Rumen magnets should be administered to cows. Magnets stay in the reticulum and collect metal fragments to prevent them from piercing the rumen wall. Water Animals need fresh, clean drinking water for normal growth and production. A dairy cow consumes about five gallons of water per gallon of milk produced daily.
Cows are particularly sensitive to water problems because of the large volume they drink.
Excess nitrate, salt, bacteria, algae, or chemicals can decrease consumption of water and cause adverse health effects. The sources of these contaminants may include septic tanks and dairy wastes. Elevated nitrate levels may affect reproduction, number of abortions, growth rate, respiration, and mortality. Mature animals can tolerate fairly salty water, up to approximately 3000 milligrams per liter total dissolved salts. Animals in late gestation that consume excessive salt may experience severe udder edema at calving.