Excessive salinity in livestock drinking water can upset the animals’ water balance and cause death. High levels of specific ions in water can cause animal health problems and death. The National Academy of Sciences offers upper limits for toxic substances in water (Table 1). It also offers guidelines for use of saline waters for livestock and poultry (Table 2).

Unsafe levels of salts and ions depend on the amount of water consumed each day and the weight of the animal. Test livestock drinking water for salinity and toxic elements if water quality is not known. The general guidelines presented in Tables 1 and 2 include an appropriate margin of safety. For a more specific interpretation of livestock drinking water quality, contact your veterinarian.

To obtain a representative water sample for testing, collect approximately 1-pint samples at random intervals using clean glass or plastic containers. Pour small samples into a large container and mix thoroughly. Take the final sample from the mixed large container. Avoid taking the sample from inactive wells or directly after drilling. Thoroughly pump or bail wells before sampling. If the test report shows that water contains toxic substances exceeding the upper limit guidelines listed in Tables 1 and 2, treatment may be necessary before livestock drink the water. However, there usually are no simple answers or quick fixes for toxic water problems. In many cases, water treatment may be impractical or too costly. Some circumstances may warrant the use of ion- exchange filters, distillation or dilution to correct the problem. Consultation with a sanitary engineer or water treatment specialist on a case-by-case basis is the best recommendation.

 LivestockWaterQlty.pdf (29.69 KB)