And if they aren't eating, they aren't growing. Clean drinking water is key for all pastured cattle. For, heifers, it's a vital link in the chain of successful growth. Water quality affects consumption. If your heifers' water intake is low, they'll eat less dry matter.
Low consumption reduces growth.
To maximize their water and feed intake, you need to provide them with clean, palatable water. Pastured livestock are often watered from surface sources. Water quality deteriorates if you let cattle walk into the water or let surface runoff containing fecal material contaminate it. With proper management, you can maintain surface water quality on your farm and improve your pastured heifers' growth rates. Research conducted by the Prairie Farm Rehabilitation Administration at the Western Beef Development Centre in Termuende, Sask., shows dramatic differences in cattle growth performance in relation to the quality of their drinking water.