Signs
Watch out for these signs:
- Animals drink less or stand at the drinking trough for a long time
- Rust-brown deposits in pipes or drinking troughs
- An unusual smell or colour in the water
- Slime or growth in the drinking troughs
Water from your own source
Groundwater from your own well often contains iron and manganese. The composition can vary from season to season.
For this reason, have water from your own well tested regularly, for example once a year.
Mains water and ditch water
Mains water is usually good at the tap in the house. In long pipes and drinking troughs it can still become contaminated.
Ditch water varies from ditch to ditch and from season to season.
How we take the sample
We take the water at the tap point the animals drink from. For bacteria testing we use a sterile bottle.
The sample goes to the laboratory as quickly as possible, preferably the same day.
Clean drinking troughs
A good water sample only helps if the drinking troughs are clean too. Clean them regularly, especially in summer.
