Cattle Drinking Water Quality -welfare Indicator Vol. X (2008) Ožujak -travanj Br. 2 Cattle Drinking Water Quality -welfare Indicator
cattle drinking water QUality-welfare indicator sUmmary The paper describes the importance of hygienic quality of drinking water and its influence on health, productivity and welfare of cattle. Quality of water from four different sources was determined in a laboratory by testing the organoleptic, physico-chemical and bacteriologic parameters. Samples that were not in compliance with the requirements of the Croatian standards for drinking water were disinfected, in vitro, with chlorine and hydrogen per-oxide based disinfectants. In a field study such disinfected water was offered to cattle. The study results, obtained by monitoring the drinking behaviour of cattle, have shown no preferences of non-disinfected over disinfected water with possible changed taste or odour.