Water Intake

[Ruthlowe]

We are new to the Steer Shows.. Normally show pigs..
I see that Steer is needing to drink more water to fill out more..
We are feeding Electrolytes in his feed and he is eating all his grower..
But Im not seeing the increase in his intake of water consumption.
Any Ideas or tricks to increase intake of fluids.
Show this weekend and need help

 

[shortybreeder]

If you want them to fill out more, depth charge or beet pulp or any number of filler products will help more than water. If you're struggling to get them to drink at the show then I've heard from people at my county show who use a relatively small amount of Gatorade powder to sweeten the water and get them drinking. I didn't try it myself because I didn't get a chance to test it out at home ahead of time and I haven't shown cattle since I was told that trick.

 

[vc]

Things we have tried, molasses in the water, we were on a well and fairgrounds had treated water. Train to drink out of a bucket at home, we would have the calves stalled during the day, the first thing the boys would do before working with them is offer them water in a 5 gallon bucket of fresh cool water, they got real use to drinking from a bucket. We changed this approach to leading them to a larger bucket, if they were thirsty they would suck the 5 gallons dry, and look like they wanted more but would lose interest as they waited for the next bucket, by using a 20 gallon tub they would drink their fill.Use the same tub at the show as you do at home. We have hauled water from home to the show for those supper finicky calves, 10 gallons just to make sure they filled up on show day, they would drink the other water over time.
Most of the time it seems cattle drink just a few times a day, our cows drink in the morning and evening, I do not really see the heading for the trough threw out the day. I think show calves are the same, they drink around feeding time, so if you can get some filler in them and then they drink they should fill out fine. A little alfalfa on show day will help fill them out as well.