# Have a water sample taken

Good drinking water is important for the health of your animals. With a water sample, you know whether the water from your well, water pipe or ditch is suitable.


## Water is the most important feed

Animals drink a lot of water. If it contains too much iron, manganese or bacteria, this can affect intake and health.

Water from your own well in particular can vary from season to season. A water sample shows where things stand.

## What the laboratory measures

For livestock drinking water, these values are often checked:

- **Acidity**: The pH of the water
- **Iron**: Causes taste and deposits
- **Manganese**: Often together with iron
- **Hardness**: Limescale in pipes and drinking troughs
- **Nitrate**: From fertilisation or the soil
- **Bacteria**: How clean the water is

## How we take the sample

1. **Agree on the tap point**: We agree on which tap point or well we will sample.
2. **Let the water run**: We first let the water run for a moment and then fill a clean sample bottle.
3. **Sterile where needed**: For bacteria testing, we use a sterile bottle.
4. **Quickly to the laboratory**: The sample goes to the laboratory as quickly as possible, preferably the same day.

## Also for ditch water

Do your animals in the pasture drink from the ditch, or do you use ditch water for irrigation? In that case, too, a water sample can show what is in it.

## Questions about water samples

### How often should I have drinking water tested?

For water from your own source, a check once a year is usual. If you notice that animals are drinking less or you see discolouration, have it tested sooner.

### How quickly will I get the result?

That differs per analysis. We will let you know in advance when you can expect the result.

### What does it cost?

That depends on the type of sample, the analysis and the distance to your farm. You always receive a quote in advance.

## From list to lab, without manual work

Every list, every field and every sample bag is in our own app, from the first phone call to the courier. As a result, less goes wrong, it takes fewer hours and more information goes to the laboratory with each sample.

- Call script with the questions from the protocol
- Walking route and zigzag across the field, with GPS
- Labels from the printer, every sample bag scanned twice
- Farmers' data in one secure place

[All about the app](https://monsternemer.nl/en/app/)

**Need a water sample taken?** Request sampling. You will receive a quote in advance and a proposed time. [Request sampling](https://monsternemer.nl/en/request/?soort=Water)

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Source: https://monsternemer.nl/en/services/water-sample/