A review on water quality and dairy cattle health: a special emphasis on high-altitude region

Abstract

Water is the wonder of nature which is an essential source of nutrient for all forms of life. It helps in proper digestion, energy metabolism, transport of nutrients and metabolites, cellular functions, and excretion of waste materials from our body and animals. Furthermore, water plays a vital role in body thermoregulatory and electrolyte health, and performance the fluidity and cushioning environment for the developing fetus in the human and animals. The quality of water determines the health and productivity of milk and their quality, as it causes bioaccumulation of water solutes in the milk and body tissues. Therefore, its quality has to be good for optimum health, and performance of dairy cattle. The high-altitude environments have limited surface and groundwater resources and more dependent on snow precipitations, very deep bore well groundwater, and mountain river. Recently, quality of high-altitude water resources has become questionable due to more environmental pollution, climate change, and high anthropogenic activities at high altitude. Therefore, there is a continuous requirement to monitor water quality, dairy product quality, and cattle health for prevention and control of waterborne diseases. This review reveals the water quality and the probable effects on the health performance of dairy cattle with a particular emphasis on high-altitude regions. From this review, it can be concluded that global warming and an increase in tourists at high-altitude regions have caused deterioration of water quality, which may affect the health, reproduction, and production of quality dairy products. This may lead to bioaccumulation of some toxic molecules and metals into higher food chain and affecting public health.