Water
Water is the most essential nutrient for life. Cattle can live for many days or a few weeks without food but will die within a few days without water. Water needs to be fresh, clean, and plentiful to ensure maximum intake. The temperature of the water does not seem to affect cattle very much. Research indicates that cattle readily drink water that is 40 – 90° F. Water intake will vary with environmental temperature and dryness of the feed. Cows eating lush grass on a cool spring day will drink much less water than cows grazing the same field in the middle of summer or cows eating hay. Water requirements for cattle are given in Table 1. A good rule of thumb is cattle need 1.5 gallon for every 100 lbs of body weight.