Water supply in dairy farm

Water is an essential nutrient for dairy cattle and a key factor in milk production. Water has a direct influence on the quantity and quality of milk production. A reliable, high quality water supply is essential to dairy farms. Water is used for animal consumption, milk cooling, cleaning and sanitizing equipment, cow cooling, irrigating crops, producing value added products, moving manure and cleaning the barns via flush systems.

Cows should consume between 30 and 50 gallons per day. This is over 415 pounds of water per day. It takes between 4 and 4.5 pounds of water to produce 1 pound of milk. Milk consists of 87% water.

In addition to drinking water, water is also used throughout the milking barn:
*Cleaning: the milking equipment gets cleaned regularly and thoroughly, along with barn areas where cows stand.
*Water circulates in heat exchange systems to cool the milk after milking.

The water supply used on dairy farms should be portable and located so that there is no possibility of contamination with animals or human discharge. Where public sewerage systems are not available, human wastes and floor washings from milk handling areas should be disposed of in septic tanks or cesspools.
Water supply in dairy farm