Ranchers Should Consider Water Supply in Drought Plan
Miranda Meehan
Devils Lake - Access to good-quality water is one of the limiting factors in most grazing systems.
“During drought, this becomes an even greater challenge as water sources become low, creating water shortages and potential for toxicity,” says Miranda Meehan, North Dakota State University Extension livestock environmental stewardship specialist.
“Providing adequate, safe water to livestock is critical for animal health and production,” she adds. “A 10% loss of body water is fatal to most species of domestic livestock. Water accounts for more than 98% of all molecules in the body and between 50% and 81% of an animal’s total body weight at maturity.”