by Dr. James I. Sprague,
Nutritionist
Metered into well water
A new product and simple application for adding hydrogen peroxide
to livestock drinking water has been developed by D. Kennedy Inc.
of Story City, Iowa. Hydrogen peroxide is commonly called “peroxide.”
It is often used as a disinfectant and also a treatment of wounds
of livestock, but the treatment of water for livestock is an interesting
application. Peroxide at low concentrations will control bacteria,
viruses and fungi. The name of the proprietary product for livestock
water treatment is “OxyBlast Plus.”
Hydrogen peroxide breaks down to water and oxygen. It is the oxidizing
action of organic material that produces the disinfectant effect.
Peroxide water applications
Joe Knopp of O’Neil, Nebraska, a representative of the product
suggests, “One of the reasons for treating water is to prevent
the spread of diseases from animal to animal from the drinking water.
Another use is the control of algae and bacteria in non-continuous
flow water tanks.” The application, according to Knopp, is a
level of 50 parts per million of peroxide. The level may be increased
for treatment to 125 to 150. One of the interesting applications is
the treatment of high iron water to prevent the staining of buildings
and porcelain fixtures.
A simple set-up is a feature
The system provides a metering pump and a wiring harness that makes
the set-up simple to install. The peroxide is added either at the
well or at the pressure tank. The cost of the treatment is $1.20 per
1000 gallons of water or less, depending on the volume purchased.
The EPA number 335-233 is registered for the peroxide to disinfect
water. A water well drilling and service company in Iowa has been
using the set-up successfully for livestock operations for several
years. Feedlots and stock farms need to check with their local water
well service providers regarding the rules for application in their
area.
The low level of application plus the ease of the set up makes the
idea practical and possibly economically feasible for consideration
by some feedlots.
Supplied in heavy plastic barrels
OxyBlast Plus, explains Randy Navratil, manager of D. Kennedy Inc,
contains not only a specially manufactured peroxide but several natural
herbs. The concentrated peroxide is shipped to the feedlots in heavy
plastic barrels. The concentration of either 35 percent of 50 percent
peroxide is much higher than the 3 percent amount in household peroxide.
Safety concerns of the handling of any peroxide products are stressed
by Knopp and Navratil. The pump is fed by a simple plastic tube directly
from the bung of the barrels to the pump, making for safety and simplicity
of the changing of barrels.
Feedlot experience
Ottawa County Feeders at Minneapolis, Kansas has installed a system.
Their reason for the installation, according to Perry Owen, feedlot
manager, was the water’s iron content and potential animal health
benefits for their livestock. Owen explained, “The iron staining
of the water has been solved, plus the scum of the livestock water
tanks has been eliminated. Wash basins and lavatories in the office
are no longer stained.”
Sprague’s comments
Peroxide use in feedlots is an interesting attempt to control the
transfer of diseases from animal to animal at the water tank. This
includes both bacterial and viral diseases. A feedlot may wish to
treat only the water provided for receiving pens and hospital pens.
The use of peroxide treated water, like many products in our industry,
is not proven by controlled research. However, this simple idea is
already in use by feedlots, dairy producers, and hog farms and needs
to be evaluated by cattle producers. ©
