title: Watering cattle (young bulls) with brackish water--a hazard due to its salt content?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this experimental study was primarily to test the effects and reactions of cattle offered salty water as the only source of drinking water.
  
  
  METHODS
  Mineral balance studies were carried out on three bull, continuously fed a ration based on hay, hay cobs, barley, soybean meal and a vitamin/mineral supplement. The salt content of the drinking water varied between the trials (trials I/II/III: 0.10/5.00/10.0 g/l; town water supplemented by different amounts of an additive containing 95.4% sodium chloride and 4.6% potassium chloride).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Rising salt concentration of the drinking water led to significantly higher sodium, potassium and chloride intake (sodium: trial I/II/III = 5.42/59.5/ 157 g/day; potassium: trials I/II/III = 108/117/121 g/day; chloride: trials I/II/III = 22.8/112/266 g/day) mainly caused by a significantly higher water intake (trials I/II/III: 21.8 ± 2.03/30.4 ± 3.08/41.5 ± 5.89 kg/day). Amounts of urine increased significantly (trials I/II/III: 3.99 ± 0.46/ 9.66 ± 1.34/20.2 ± 3.14 kg/day). The concentrations of minerals in the urine (sodium: trials I/II/III = 123/3729/6705 mg/kg; potassium: trials I/II/III = 17345/9996/ 5496 mg/kg; chloride: trials I/II/III = 2020/ 9672/11870 mg/kg) and faeces (sodium: trials I/II/III = 1299/6544/ 7653 mg/kg; potassium: trials I/II/III = 6343/3719/3490 mg/kg; chloride: trials I/II/III = 3851/4580/4693 mg/kg) also changed significantly over time. Serum values of sodium tended to decrease (trials I/II/III: 142/137/137 mmol/l) within the physiological range, whereas those of chloride increased (trials I/II/III: 91.5/95.6/97.5 mmol/l) at higher salt concentrations in drinking water. The haematocrit, pH-value as well as urea content in blood were not affected by the higher salt intake. In balance trial III (highest salt load: 10.0 g/l), sodium intake of the bulls reached 0.57 ± 0.03 g/kg BW (~22.1 ± 0.9 g sodium/kg dry matter feed).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  An increase of salinity in drinking water up to 10 g/l--with otherwise harmless water quality--had no measurable negative effects on animal health in the investigation period and subsequent periods (total of 58 days with more than 5.00 g of salt per litre drinking water).
authors: Dr. Christian Visscher, Institute of Animal Nutrition, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Foundation, Bischofsholer Damm 15, 30173 Hannover, Germany, Email: christian.visscher@tiho-hannover.de.
authors: C F
authors: CF
authors: Visscher
authors: S
authors: S
authors: Witzmann
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Beyerbach
authors: J
authors: J
authors: Kamphues
mesh_terms: D000822:Animal Husbandry / Q000379:methods*; D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle / Q000502:physiology* / Q000652:urine; D060766:Drinking Water / Q000737:chemistry*; D008297:Male; D011188:Potassium / Q000652:urine; D055049:Salt Tolerance / Q000502:physiology*; D012964:Sodium / Q000652:urine; D012965:Sodium Chloride / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000506:poisoning*; D014881:Water Supply
chemical_list: D060766:Drinking Water; D012965:Sodium Chloride; D012964:Sodium; D011188:Potassium
keywords: Grazing cattle; brackish water; salt intake; salt water tolerance