Bonus Tydskrif SPRING SUMMER 2024 FINAL

www. deheus.co.za | 031 78 5 1575 | infosa @deheus.com Contact your local De Heus technical advisor to help identify how wiWnter impacts the dairy cow. Visit https:// www.deheus.co.za/meet-our-team/. the same size water trough now as they did when milking half the number of cows. However, when the cows are further from the water source they will move as a herd and when they arrive in a large number some cows won’t have access to the water, or the water will be depleted and cannot refill to meet the demand. If you are finding more breakages of your water troughs, such as the float valves breaking, it means cattle may be desperately competing at the trough to drink. Large herds need a large amount of water, and even more on hot days. Water is not only needed for milk production, but also for other important bodily functions. Load shedding often results in no water being pumped to water troughs. Many farms are now trying to redesign the drinking water system using gravity and water storage in tanks or reservoirs. The size of the water trough could also serve as a reservoir if the volume delivered to the trough is limited. Maybe two water troughs are better than one. A little goes a long way In a nutshell, many small improvements might reduce the negative effect of heat stress, or some sort of larger improvement or upgrade might be beneficial if there is an improvement in production and cow health. Additives can be an option and can have a positive impact. Look at your stock water system and its limitations, it might need upgrading after 30 years. Water is critical! Autumn / He rfs 2024 BONUS www.agribonus.co.za 16 Contact your local De Heus technical advisor to help identify how wiWnter impacts the dairy cow. Visit https:// www.deheus.co.za/meet-our-team/. the sam size water trough now as they did when milking half the number of cows. However, when the cows are further from the water source they will move as a herd and when they arrive in a large number some cows won’t have access to the water, or the water will be depleted and cannot refill to meet the demand. If you are finding more breakages of your water troughs, such as the float valves breaking, it means cattle may be desperately competing at the trough to drink. Large herds e d a large amount of water, and even more on hot d ys. Water is not only nee d for milk production, but al o for other importa t bodily functions. Load shedding often results in no water being pumped to water troughs. Many farms are now trying to redesign the drinking water system using gravity and water storage in tanks or reservoirs. The size of the water trough could also serve as a reservoir if the volume delivered to the trough is limited. Maybe two water troughs are better than one. A little goes a long way In a nutshell, many small improvements might reduce the negative effect of heat stress, or some sort of larger improvement or upgrade might be beneficial if there is an improvement in production and cow health. Additives can be an option and can have a positive impact. Look at your stock water system and its limitations, it mig ht need upgrading after 30 years. Water is critical! Yet, thes farms often still ave the same size ater trough now as they did when milking half the number of cows. This is not always a problem if the cows are close enough to the water source as they will drink at different times and the flow rate into the trough might be able to keep up. Ho ever, hen the co s are further fro the ater source they will move as a herd n hen they arrive in a large nu ber so e co s on’t have access to the ter, or the water will be depleted and c nnot refill to meet the de and. If u re fin ing more breakages of r ater tro ghs, such as the float l s br king, it me ns ca tle may be r t l ti t the trough to drink. Large herds need a l rge amount of water, and even more on hot days. Wa er is not only needed for milk production, but also for other important bodily functions. Load sh dding oft n results in no water being pumped to water troughs. M ny farms are now rying to redesign the drinking water system using gravity and water storage in tanks or reservoirs. The size of the water trough could also serve as a reservoir if the volume delivered to the trough is limited. Maybe two water troughs are better than one. A lit le goes a long way In a nutshell, many s al im rove ents ight reduce the negative ef ect of heat stres , or so e sort of lar r improve ent or upgrade might be beneficial if there is an im rove ent in production and cow health. Additives can be an option and can h v a positive impact. Lo k at your stock water system and its limitations, it might need upgradin fter 30 y ars. W ter is critical! Contact your local De Heus technical advisor to help identify how heat stress impacts the dairy cow. Visit https:// www.deheus.co.za/meet-our-team/. www.deheus.co.za | 031 785 1575 | infosa@deheus.com www.agribonus.co.za Spring/Summer 2024 BONUS 67