Supplementation of Beef Cattle using Water Medication A Producer’s Guide to the Application and Use of Water Medicators for Beef Cattle

Summary

Discussions between the Western Queensland Regional Beef Research Committee and MLA on future industry research needs, led to a recommendation to review the use and application of water medication technology in the northern Australian beef industry, and to commission the production of a Producers Guide on water medication. In addition, MLA sought a scientific review of all relevant published information on water medication, and requested that after widespread consultation with industry, the review team make recommendations on any future research in relation to water medication.

The project involved visits and discussions with over 110 individuals and organizations with interests in or involvement with water medication technology in the northern beef industry. These included cattle producers, research and extension staff in public and private sector agencies, equipment and supplement manufacturers and suppliers and agents, and some consulting groups involved in water quality and livestock nutrition areas.

The literature review highlighted the fact that while nutrient supplementation via the water was seen as a cheap and effective means of supplementation of grazing cattle, there was relatively little published information on the factors influencing successful use of the technology, nor was there extensive information on responses to the technology under commercial conditions. These factors meant that the review was not a traditional scientific literature review, but rather a combination of relevant published information, together with considerable anecdotal information from producers using water medication.

The review also included a section on a range of operational issues that need to be considered by producers interested in adopting water medication as a management tool particularly for delivering non-protein nitrogen, sulphur and phosphorus supplements. The review concluded that water medication technology is not for all producers, but has wide potential application in those situations where control of watering points is possible, where water quality is suitable or can be modified and improved, and where management is adaptable and conscientious. Water quality issues; quantifying optimal urea levels for production when used in water medication; evaluation of recently developed or newly promoted supplements including slow release commercial liquid supplements and amino acids, and better definition of water intake patterns were areas identified from the literature review as requiring further research.

The draft Producer’s Guide to the application and use of water medicators for beef cattle included sections on frequently asked questions on water medication; a brief overview of ruminant nutrition; factors influencing water intake, and levels of intake; assessment of water quality; water medication technology and equipment; supplements; some do’s and don’t’s of water medication; a series of 4 case studies outlining successful and unsuccessful applications of water medication in northern Australia; a general conclusions section and some further reading lists. The written guide was supported by tables and figures and a large number of photographs illustrating various aspects of water medication use on commercial properties across northern Australia.

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Recommendations made to MLA in relation to future research in relation to water medication are outlined in full in Appendix 1, but in brief included:

• Research on a range of water quality issues to ensure more effective utilisation of water medication technology

• Supplement evaluation

• Survey of water intake patterns

• Early dissemination to industry of outcomes of any further research on aspects of water medication.​