Table 2.
Chemical composition of water offered ad libitum to Holstein nursing bull calves fed nonmedicated milk replacer only (CON; n = 7), nonmedicated milk replacer supplemented with 3% menhaden fish oil (FAT; n = 8), or nonmedicated milk replacer isoenergetically supplemented with corn starch (CHO; n = 8)
| Water compositiona | Collection | Upper tolerable limit problem value for cattle |
|---|---|---|
| pH | 7.3 | <5.5 or >8.5 |
| ppm | ||
| Nitrate as nitrogen | 1.7 | 23 |
| Nitrate | 7.4 | 100 |
| Total dissolved solids | 441.0 | 3,000 |
| Chloride | 86.0 | 300 |
| Sulfates | 44.6 | 500 |
| Calcium | 48.9 | 150 |
| Phosphorus | <0.1 | 0.7 |
| Magnesium | 20.3 | 100 |
| Potassium | 15.5 | 20 |
| Sodium | 67.5 | 300 |
| Iron | <0.05 | 0.4 (taste) |
| Manganese | <0.05 | 0.05 (taste) |
| Zinc | <0.01 | 25 |
| Copper | <0.01 | 0.6 |
| Calcium carbonate hardness | 205 | – |
| Colonies per 100 mL | ||
| Total coliform | <1 | 15 |
| E.coli | <1 | 10 |
a Water samples collected early morning, preserved in ice and immediately shipped for livestock suitability and total coliform analysis to Cumberland Valley Analytical Services, New York.