Water is an important nutrient, and its continuous provision is a critical welfare issue for cattle grazing arid and semiarid rangelands. Time and labor are needed to monitor water availability, and automated monitoring systems are a costly input on expansive rangeland pastures. The objective of this study was to evaluate the potential of detecting water system failures using Global Positioning System (GPS) tracking and accelerometers, assuming the data could be monitored in real or near-real time. Water system failure was simulated in a 1 096-ha pasture in Arizona by placing metal panels around the only drinker for 4 h (0800−1200) on three occasions in 2018 and two occasions in 2019. Randomly selected cows (10 in 2018 and 23 in 2019) of the 120 cows in the pasture were tracked with GPS collars, and 7 (2018) and 10 (2019) of the tracked cows were fitted with triaxial accelerometers. Movement intensity measured by accelerometers was greater (P = 0.03) on the day of simulated water failure than on control days with available water. During simulated water failure, cows remained closer to water (P = 0.01) after approaching the drinker (< 150 m) compared with the control period the day prior. Cows typically went to the drinker, drank, and then traveled away from the drinker and rested. On simulated water-failure days, cows remained near the drinker (< 150 m from the tank) until the panels were removed and they could drink. Real-time GPS tracking with or without accelerometer data has the potential to remotely detect water system failure, which could reduce the time for managers to repair the water system and improve cattle well-being.

水是一种重要的营养素，对于干旱和半干旱牧场的牛来说，持续提供水是一个至关重要的福利问题。需要时间和劳动力来监测水的供应情况，而自动化的监测系统是在广阔的牧场上的一项昂贵的投入。这项研究的目的是评估使用全球定位系统（GPS）跟踪和加速度计检测水系统故障的可能性，并假设可以实时或近实时地监测数据。在亚利桑那州一个1096公顷的牧场中，通过将金属板围绕唯一的饮水器放置4小时（0800−1200），在2018年和2019年两次，模拟了水系统故障。随机选择的奶牛（2018年和2016年分别为10头和23头）在2019年）使用GPS项圈追踪了牧场中的120头奶牛，分别对7头（2018）和10头（2019）的奶牛安装了三轴加速度计。加速度计测得的运动强度更大（P  = 0.03）在模拟水失效当天比在有可用水的对照日要高。在模拟失水 期间，与前一天的控制期相比，奶牛在接近饮水器（<150 m）后仍接近水（P = 0.01）。牛通常去饮水器喝酒，然后离开饮水器休息。在模拟的断水日，奶牛停留在饮水器附近（距水箱不足150 m），直到将面板移开才可以喝水。具有或不具有加速度计数据的实时GPS跟踪都有可能远程检测水系统故障，这可以减少管理人员修复水系统的时间并改善牲畜的健康状况。