Characterization of individual beef cattle water intake

Area of Science:

• Animal Science
• Agricultural Engineering
• Environmental Science

Background:

• Current beef cattle water intake (WI) models are based on limited, outdated data.
• Factors like animal class, breed, production system, and environment significantly influence WI.
• There is a need for more comprehensive data to develop accurate WI prediction models.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze a large dataset of beef cattle WI, dry matter intake (DMI), and body weight (BW).
• To identify key factors influencing WI in different cattle populations and environments.
• To challenge existing WI recommendations and advocate for updated, context-sensitive models.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of over 130,000 daily records from 10 beef cattle breeds.
• Inclusion of data from both grazing and drylot production systems over five years.
• Statistical analysis to determine the significance of animal class, breed, production system, and temperature-humidity index (THI) on WI.

Main Results:

• WI significantly varied by animal class (bulls, heifers, steers) and breed (Red Angus, Limousin).
• Drylot cattle consumed more water than grazing cattle, and WI increased with higher heat load (THI ≥ 90).
• Relationships between WI and BW or DMI were weak (R² = 0.06), indicating limited predictive power of these factors alone.

Conclusions:

• Existing beef cattle WI models, such as NASEM 2016, may not accurately reflect real-world consumption patterns.
• Individualized and context-specific models are necessary for precise WI estimation.
• Findings support advancements in water-efficient selection, climate resilience, and sustainable beef production.