Water is a fundamental requirement for all organisms, yet as a subject
of research, it has received surprisingly little attention, especially in livestock production circles. There are many reasons for this seeming oversight. Water for livestock production in many regions is widely available,
if not abundant, and at least in North America, is available at no or relatively little cost. Because it is not traded commercially, unlike vitamins,
minerals, and amino acids, there has been little financial motivation to
study it more thoroughly. There are exceptions, such as in northern Europe, where the quantity of water used for livestock production is a signifi cant concern; consequently, research on water conservation has been a
priority (Mroz et al., 1995)