Sheep Consumption of Water in the United States

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Sheep are are a staple of farms across the country not only for their relationship with humans as a food source, but also as a source of wool. Sheep are able to obtain most of their water needs from their food/forage consumption. However, they still are consuming water at a constant rate that is worth examining.Lambs weighing 5-10lbs consume roughly 0.1-0.3 gallons of water per head per day. Feeder lambs weighing in the range of 60-110lbs consume roughly 1 gallon to 1.5 gallons per head per day. Pregnant ewes weighing 175lbs and higher consume between 1-2gallons of water per head per day. Lactating ewes weighing 175lbs and higher consume between 2-3 gallons per head per day. Lastly, rams weighing 175lbs and higher consume between 1-2 gallons per head per day. Dirty or stale water on farms and livestock acreage can lead to a reduced consumption of water by sheep. Clean water is so important for the health of the livestock and the health of its meat for human consumption.

Obviously dirty or contaminated water is not ideal for animal drinking, but we can not expect every farm in the country to provide flawless and pristine water to its animals in a similar way that we cannot expect all cities to provide perfect drinking water to its inhabitants. Requirements for livestock water consumption is linked to size, productivity, diet and environmental conditions. Good water quality can lead to an increase of water intake while reduced water consumption can lead to dehydration- a problem which can be fatal to sheep and other livestock. Dirty water is a hotbed for diseases and bacteria and can spread rapidly if sheep drink from the same source.

Waterers can be disinfected using a dilute bleach solution following cleaning. A dilute bleach solution of 2 to 3 ounces for each 50 gallons of tank capacity of bleach containing 5.25% sodium hypochlorite applied weekly also will suppress algae growth. This disinfection is crucial to maintaining healthy drinking water supplies for sheep and other livestock.It is important to note that proper installation of the waterer or tank base will prevent fecal contamination of water. The base should be wide enough so animals are able to place their front legs on it easily while drinking, but not their hind legs. This will keep animals from defecating in the water which would lead to illnesses among sheep and other livestock. There are estimated to be 5.2 million sheep in the United States.

If we were to assume that it is an even 50/50 split between rams and ewes on farms, we can calculate a range of sheep water consumption in the United States per year. Male sheep, rams, can be estimated to be between 2,600,000 and 5,200,000 gallons of water annually. Ewe water consumption can be estimated to be between 2,600,000 gallons and 7,800,000 gallons.

Works Cited:
https://www.ag.ndsu.edu/publications/livestock/livestock-water-requirements
https://www.statista.com/statistics/194403/total-number-of-sheep-and-lambs-in-the-us-since-2001/
https://www.investopedia.com/terms/s/sheep.asp

296 thoughts on “Sheep Consumption of Water in the United States”

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