Clean water key to boosting cattle finishing profits
Ensuring clean drinking water for cattle significantly enhances their finishing performance and profitability. Experts and a Kilkenny farmer shared practical advice during a recent Teagasc webinar focused on improving beef nutrition this winter.
Source:
Teagasc Agricultural News
•
⏱️ 1 min read
The critical role of clean drinking water in cattle production, especially in finishing systems utilising high concentrate diets, has been emphasised by Dr Aisling Claffey, a ruminant nutritionist at Teagasc. She highlighted that a 600kg animal can consume between 50 and 75 litres of water daily, which supports dry matter intake and overall nutrition.
Dr Claffey referenced research by Willms and Lardner showing that faecal contamination in drinking water can reduce finishing cattle weight gain by up to 23% compared with those drinking clean well water. She also stressed the need for accessible, regularly cleaned water troughs that are suitably sized to prevent dominant animals from restricting access.
Sean Power, a beef finisher from Co. Kilkenny, shared his experience of upgrading to tip-over water troughs last spring, making cleaning easier and ensuring consistent water quality. He noted that investing in good troughs from the outset saves money and effort in the long run. The Teagasc Future Beef webinar offering more insights on nutrition and finishing is available online for farmers seeking to improve their winter cattle performance.
Dr Claffey referenced research by Willms and Lardner showing that faecal contamination in drinking water can reduce finishing cattle weight gain by up to 23% compared with those drinking clean well water. She also stressed the need for accessible, regularly cleaned water troughs that are suitably sized to prevent dominant animals from restricting access.
Sean Power, a beef finisher from Co. Kilkenny, shared his experience of upgrading to tip-over water troughs last spring, making cleaning easier and ensuring consistent water quality. He noted that investing in good troughs from the outset saves money and effort in the long run. The Teagasc Future Beef webinar offering more insights on nutrition and finishing is available online for farmers seeking to improve their winter cattle performance.
0 views