Dairy farm wells in southeastern Minnesota: The relation of new water sources (new wells) to milk and milk fat production

Milk and milk fat production per cow were studied on 17 Fillmore County, Minnesota, Dairy Herd Improvement Association dairies before and after the source of drinking water for cows was changed by the drilling of a new well. New wells were in deeper aquifers which were more protected from waterborne pollutants; the former wells were in shallow, easily polluted aquifers. Seventeen other dairies with swallow wells served as controls, matched for pre-well milk production per cow, dairy location, and breed of cow. The changes in milk and milk fat production per cow after the drillingof a new well were not statistically significant.