Judith Gap journal. [volume] (Judith Gap, Mont.) 1908-19??, 1911-05-19
Effect Of Alkali
Water on Animals.
BY W. M. Cohleigh, Chemist
Montana Agricultural Col
lege.
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In regions where soil alkali is
abundant, deep and shallow we'll wa
ters are often highly charged with
alkali salts. The same is sometimes
true OF the waters from deep wells in
places where there is no evidence of
alkali in the surface soil. This condi-
ton of well waters is not at all pecu-
liar to Montana. but is also matter
of common experience in other states.
The writer has received requests
for analyses Of large number Of wa
ter samples to determine what effect
the alkali in solution may have on
farm animals. While it is exceptional
to find a water containing an amount
Of alkali that would prevent it's use
with domestic animals, still there are,
no doubt some waters strong enough
to have serious effects.
In directing attention to few ex-
ccptional instances. where caution in
the use of alkali water is necessary, it
is not intended to convey the impress
sion that the analyses reported rep
recent the average composition OF
Montana wells. In many of the val
leys well waters are comparatively
soft, while in some localities they are
charged with harmless baking soda.
as at Miles City, Harlowton, Gage and
bingham. or with common salts. as
was found in one case at Broadview.
In determining the effect of wa
ter upon an animal it is necessary to
consider the quantity consumed per
day and the weight of the alkali salts
found in this quantity of water. Ex-
periments conducted at the Indiana
Experiment Station show that horses
require eight TO ten gallons of water
per day and cows from ten to four.
teen gallons. AS practical basis
for Judging the effect of an alkali wa
ter we tabulate below the weight and
kind of salts found in ten gallons of
four of the most highly charged wa.
tiers that have come to the attention
OF the writer:
Sample No.. 373 254 Ala 238
Glauber's salts.
or sodium sui
plate -. BIS IS l.64 40
EPSON salts. or
magnesium
sulphate -. % 81 OILS O34 0 OF
Calcium and
magnesium
bicarbonates. OIL 10 OIL 0 o.
Total .....4 30 2 So 3O9 As
The total weight of mineral salts in
each water shows that amount of al.
kali farm animal would consume per
day when drinking ten gallons of the
water in question. The following OBJ
servations were made by the owners
OF the we'll waters reported above:
The man who sent sample No. 373
reports that the water was apparently
so highly charged with alkali that he
was afraid to try to use it for watering
farm animals. He came to this conclu-
sion from the taste of the water before
the analysis was reported.
The report from No. 254 is to the eff
feet that the water was so strong in
alkali that stock would not drink it.
Sample No. Ala was sent in for
analysis because the owner lost some
cows very suddenly and after a care
ful study of conditions came to the
conclusion that this alkali water was
the cause of death. The serious re-
suits with this water may have been
confined to the animals that drank an
abnormal amount.
1t is reported from very reliable
source that cattle will not drink water
from the we'll from which sample No.
2SS was taken unless forced to and
that then it scours them badly
IT appears from the above results
that the upper limit of alkalf allowable
must be less than las pounds per ten
gallons. If cattle are not 10 be serious.
~ affected To find the limit OF alkali
that will cause no injurious physiologi.
cal effect whatever is a matter for fu
ture study,