AVC research to test water treatment technology on dairy farms
Silver Bullet Water Treatment Company has engaged Dr. Greg Keefe and Dr. Javier Sanchez to test its water treatment system on dairy farms. Dr. Sanchez is a professor of Health Management at UPEI's Atlantic Veterinary College (AVC). Dr. Keefe is a professor in the same department and an Innovation PEI Industry Research Chair.
'Dairy cattle need constant access to clean water for good health and to achieve optimum production,' said Dr. Keefe. 'Water is the single largest component of a cows diet and poor quality can have negative effects. This study will examine how the Silver Bullet system affects herd health and production.'
The Silver Bullet system processes the source of drinking water for dairy cattle to prevent bacterial growth without the addition of toxic chemicals. The AVC study will include 20 dairy herds, representing approximately 1200 cows.
'Silver Bullet Water Treatment is pleased to collaborate with the Atlantic Veterinary College,' said Ashish Rampal, General Manager of the Silver Bullet Corporation. 'Water quality is a critical nutrient in producing high-quality milk. Farms installed with Silver Bullet today report positive observations regarding treated versus non-treated water on milk production, milk components, and other key benchmarks, including udder health. These results indicate encouraging trends in improved milk quality and production volume, which the study intends to validate.'
The study will be run as a clinical trial over two time periods. Herds will be randomly selected to either be left with their current watering system or be equipped with the Silver Bullet system. The AVC team will measure water consumption and assess the impact on cow-level productivity. The study will also measure udder health and bacteria levels in water systems at the Maritime Quality Milk laboratory at the AVC.
This contract with the Silver Bullet Corporation was negotiated and facilitated by Three Oaks Innovations Inc.-an independent company owned by the University of Prince Edward Island, tasked with bridging industry with the innovative researchers at UPEI.
For information:
Dave Atkinson, Research Communications, UPEI
(902) 620-5117, datkinson@upei.ca
