What’s in Your Livestock’s Water?

Most farmers and ranchers worry about having enough water for their herd. However, they should also be concerned about what’s in their livestock’s water. One of the biggest things to watch for is an increase in Total Dissolved Solids (TDS), as it can lead to major health issues for livestock. Understanding what TDS is, where it comes from, and how it affects livestock is key to keeping your herd healthy.

What is TDS?

Total Dissolved Solids or TDS refers to the concentration of dissolved minerals, salts, metals, and other organic matter in a water source. The most common dissolved minerals include:

• Sulphates
• Calcium
• Sodium
• Nitrates
• Iron

Dissolved solids are found in almost every water source in small amounts. At low concentrations, these minerals are harmless to livestock, but as TDS levels rise, so does the risk of problems for your herd.

What Causes TDS to Increase?

TDS concentration can increase for a number of reasons, but two of the main causes include:

Drought Conditions: During hot, dry months, water evaporates but minerals remain, causing concentrations to climb. When there’s little rainfall to recharge water sources, quality declines quickly, especially in late summer.

Runoff: Fertilizer, manure, and other nutrients can flow into water sources during spring runoff or after a heavy rainfall. This can add nitrates, sulphates, and other salts to water sources, causing TDS levels to rise. Over time, unmanaged runoff can steadily increase TDS in water supplies.

How Does TDS Affect Cattle?

Palatability is often the first issue. As TDS rises, water tastes different and may become unappealing to livestock. This typically results in lower water consumption and in extreme cases, refusal to drink from the source completely.

This can impact animal growth and performance. When cows consume less water, they eat less feed, causing slower weight gain and a decrease in milk production.

Other health effects include:

• Diarrhea
• Reproductive Issues
• Trace Mineral Deficiencies
• Scours
• And in Extreme Cases, Death

How to Measure TDS in Your Water?

There are two ways you can measure the concentration of Total Dissolved Solids in livestock’s water.

• Taking Water Samples to a Testing Facility
  • This will determine the exact mineral count in your livestock’s water, so you can identify what minerals are causing you the biggest problems.
  • Taking in multiple samples every year can help you determine when water quality typically declines, so you can utilize your water sources more efficiently.
• The HerdHand Monitor
  • The HerdHand allows you to monitor the approximate level of dissolved solids in your water sources.
  • The HerdHand is designed to send you a text message alert if it detects that water quality has dropped below an acceptable level for livestock consumption.
  • This device can easily be moved to different water sources throughout the year.

Why Monitoring Matters

TDS levels can change quickly and often go unnoticed until cattle health or performance starts to slip. Monitoring tools like the HerdHand give you peace of mind and help you act before problems occur.

The HerdHand allows producers to:

• Check the quality of their livestock’s water at any time.
• Receive alerts when the quality drops to an unacceptable level for livestock consumption.
• Identify patterns with their water sources, so they can strategically use them before the quality starts to drop.

Water isn’t just about quantity; quality matters too. High TDS levels can reduce intake, slow growth, and put your herd’s health at risk. By paying attention to TDS and using tools like the HerdHand monitor, you can stay ahead of problems, make smarter use of your water sources, and keep your cattle performing at their best.