We frequently test agricultural water to determine how suitable it is for livestock or irrigation.
Why test for livestock suitability?
Animals drink a lot of water. Beef cattle and horses typically drink 10 gallons per head and dairy cattle drink over 16 gallons per head. Cattle consuming very high levels of sulfate are at risk of developing a neurological disease called polioencephalomalacia (polio or PEM). High salt levels can cause diarrhea, dehydrate livestock, and cause weight loss. Ruminants and horses are very sensitive to nitrate levels because they have bacteria which can convert nitrate to nitrite. At extreme nitrate levels they can potentially abort calves or develop methemoglobinemia where hemoglobin can no longer transport oxygen and the animals die.
Our livestock suitability packages range from $50 to $100. They include calcium, magnesium, sodium, hardness, SAR, TDS, EC, pH, nitrates, and sulfates. Our typical turnaround time for the basic package is 3-5 business days. Your livestock is important to us and we will rush your samples if you’re losing animals.
More information about nitrate poisoning, sulfate toxixity, and other livestock specific notes can be found in our livestock water interpretation guide.
Why test for irrigation suitability?
In our grandfathers time, clean water was plentiful and farmers were never concerned about their water quality. Today, water is expensive and you can’t always irrigate with an ideal water supply. Weld Laboratories is here to bridge the gap, ensuring that your water is good enough for your crops.
Our irrigation suitability packages range from $60 to $130. The basic package includes calcium, magnesium, sodium, hardness, SAR, TDS, EC, pH, nitrates, sulfates, and chloride levels. This package is customized to protect your crops and your pipes simultaneously. The typical turnaround time for our basic irrigation package is 5 business days.
For additional questions regarding our services and pricing see our services and pricing guide.
For additional questions regarding sampling see our sampling guide.
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Abbreviations:
SAR = Sodium Adsorption Ratio, calculated from sodium, magnesium, and calcium
TDS = Total Dissolved Solids
EC = Electrical Conductivity