Handbook of Water Harvesting and Conservation

7Rainwater Harvesting for Livestock

Billy Kniffen

Biological and Agricultural Engineering Department, Texas A&M University Water Texas AgriLife Extension Service Resource Associate, College Station, Texas, USA

7.1 Introduction

Livestock, like all living things, require water for survival. A sufficient amount of clean drinking water is the first and most important ingredient in animal husbandry for milk and meat production. “Water Is Life” has been quoted as the key ingredient for discovering life and living things. Access to water determines the production of food and water available for humans, forage, and livestock. The timing and amount of rainfall determine seasons of abundance of water and forage or areas not usable for livestock. Then there are droughts, flooding, climate conditions, and animal adaptability to those conditions that dictate survival and productivity. Most locations in the world have seasons of rainfall and seasons without rain. Harvesting and storing that rainfall when it comes, whether in the soil, aquifers, lakes, ponds or containers, and having access to water is a daily requirement for livestock and forage production. Although free access to water is critical for survival, capturing water on the land to grow forage is also an important component of livestock production and land health. Forage or grain production requires water and water that runs off from a range site, pasture, or field does not help the plants to grow. Runoff also carries with it ...