Bruce
Herd Master
I think Skyler is thinking "Whoa, BIG!!!!"
Rolling Acres - This and That
- Thread starter RollingAcres
- Start date
Rammy
Herd Master
Bruce
Herd Master
Well it was either the puppy or the cattle, you weren't in the pictureThanks!
Oh you mean the puppy.
...
unless you are the puppy or one of the cattle.
Bruce beat me to it... Feel free to reveal yourself as and when you're ready. 
Mike CHS
Herd Master
- Thread starter
- #447
RollingAcres
Herd Master
Ok BYH friends, I need some suggestions/advices from y'all please.
We have not taken a vacation since 2014 and definitely not since we have the critters. We've taken an occasional overnight trips but that was about it. This December we are going to spend Christmas in California with my sister and my brother. I'm trying to plan ahead and make arrangements. We're planning to be away for at least 4 - 5 days.
So here are my questions:
Thank you all in advance.
We have not taken a vacation since 2014 and definitely not since we have the critters. We've taken an occasional overnight trips but that was about it. This December we are going to spend Christmas in California with my sister and my brother. I'm trying to plan ahead and make arrangements. We're planning to be away for at least 4 - 5 days.
So here are my questions:
- @Wehner Homestead @greybeard How long can the cows go without water? We have an 18 gallons tank for water and we normally have to fill it every other day. There is also a heater we put in the tank in the winter time. They will have plenty of hay in the barn for them to eat so I'm not too worry about that part. I don't want to burden my neighbor with checking on my critters as he already has a lot on his plate taking care of his sick dad and his disable brother.
- @Baymule @Bruce Same thing for the chickens, how long can they go without water? I will leave plenty of food for them to eat. It's water I'm worry about.
Thank you all in advance.
greybeard
Herd Master
18 gallons for 4-5 days? NO! Not nearly enough, but yes, they will probably live assuming they don't drink it all the 1st 2 days.
They need (each) 1 to 1-1/2 to 2 gallons each for every 100lbs of body weight per day....depending on the ambient temp.
Guides only...not written in stone for every clime and location or every stge of growth and condition:
and:
IF they run out of water, there is grave danger in how they are allowed access TO water right afterwards.
Water intoxication, and if loose salt is available when they are finally given water, salt ion poisoning is a distinctive probability.
Sodium ion toxicosis:
In this communication, 2 cases of water deprivation/sodium ion toxicosis in cattle are reported, illustrating the circumstances of intoxication, clinical presentation, and diagnostic approaches for this relatively uncommon syndrome. In the first case, a herd of 200 beef cow-calf pairs at pasture on May 26 were without water due to a faulty switch on the well pump that supplied an automatic drinking fountain. The herd had been on a bromegrass pasture for 3 weeks. No supplemental feeds were provided and the herd had been without mineral or salt for about 1 week. After 24-36 hours the switch was repaired and the cattle were given unlimited access to water. At the same time, approximately 204 kg of mineral supplement and 68 kg of salt were provided to the cattle in 2 self-feeders located approximately 8 m from the drinking fountain. Within 3 hours after access to water, salt, and mineral, all of the mineral and salt was consumed and several cows were observed “down and shaking” in the pasture. A total of 10 cows were in lateral recumbency with signs of tremors and seizures. Characteristic clinical signs included tremors, ataxia, and seizures with paddling, opisthotonos, and muscle tremors. Very little salivation was observed, but affected cows urinated and defecated repeatedly. Several affected cows were treated with atropinea at 0.5 mg/kg and some were given 750 ml of a commercial calcium and magnesium solution intravenously.b By the morning of May 28, all affected cows had died. No new cases had occurred since the previous evening and the remainder of the herd appeared normal. None of the nursing calves were affected.
From a thread on a cattle board. Post was made by veterinarian that also raises cattle:
With the current heatwave that parts of the country are experiencing, just a quick note to remind everybody how important constant access to adequate water supply is for cattle.
Just had to deal with a real heartbreaker of a case.
Producer had penned 15 cows & fall-born calves in the barn on Wed night, and held them there 'til about noon on Thursday - 97F high/79F low that day, with high humidity - with no access to water overnight. Turned them out into a 2-acre lot with shade and water. 3 hours later when they looked, all 15 were dead. Brain sodium levels on the two I necropsied were in the range of 4200 ppm; normal range is 800-1200 ppm.
In those sorts of conditions, without constant access to water, cattle become dehydrated via urination and panting. When these dehydrated cattle were allowed free-access to water after their confinement, they really tanked up. Water crosses the blood-brain barrier much more rapidly than does sodium, so the elevated sodium levels in the brain 'sucks in' water so rapidly that the brain swells - and there's not much 'wiggle room' inside that bony cranium. Death ensued pretty rapidly.
https://www.merckvetmanual.com/toxicology/salt-toxicity/overview-of-salt-toxicity
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Bruce
Herd Master
Buy a stock tank for the cattle RA. ~$100 for a 100 gallon tank. And if the current tank heater isn't capable, get another for the new tank.
Chickens NEED water. How many chickens? And how do you keep it from freezing now?
Chickens NEED water. How many chickens? And how do you keep it from freezing now?
greybeard
Herd Master
I recommend the Rubbermaid type stock tanks over the metal ones. Rust never sleeps. The rubber ones I've had outlasted the metal galvanized ones by a factor of at least 2, tho the old metal ones did make better worm beds and better looking yard art/craft thingies.
