Good water is needed for healthy animals but what is good water? Animal Health Service Deventer says drinking water for animals must meet three requirements:

• It must be tasty. That is, the animals must want to drink
• It must be available at the place where the animals normally drink. The pipes are not clogged, the nipple drinkers have good flow when the animal wants to drink, and
• The water is not harmful. This speaks for itself: production, growth and health of the animal must not be jeopardized.

GD examines drinking water for animals. The three main reasons why water samples are sent for examination, are 1) quality (IKB, Qarant), 2) a new source or controlling an existing source and 3) complaints. An analysis of submitted samples shows that at all complaints especially iron, total cell count and E. coli numbers were increased. There is a clear relationship between increased levels of these three parameters and the occurrence of symptoms (animals drink less, do less, pipes are blocked).

Cattle
In 2009, 74 per cent of the investigated water was suitable for drinking. In 2004, this was only 54 per cent. Twenty-six per cent of the tested drinking water in 2009 was less suitable or unsuitable for drinking. This water was generally rejected because of the hardness, ammonium and iron content and the overall cell count.

Pigs
In 2009, 67 per cent of the tested samples was suitable for drinking water. In 2004, this was only 55 per cent. The less suitable or unsuitable samples in 2009 were mostly rejected because the ammonia content and hardness.

Poultry
In 2009, 64 per cent of the examined water samples from poultry were found suitable for drinking. In 2004, this was 50 per cent. Rejected samples in 2009 were rejected mainly because of the hardness and iron and ammonium content.

Although the percentage of suitable water samples has increased in the past five years, the other part of the drinking water is still not suitable for drinking. Animal Health Service Deventer recommends continuing drinking water testing and taking appropriate measurements if the drinking water is unsuitable for your animals.