Livestock Water Testing Guidelines

Sample Protocol

1. Collect sample in a clean 1-quart or larger plastic (preferred) or glass container.
   a. Sample containers can be obtained from your NDSU Extension county office or your local Soil Conservation District watershed coordinator.
   b. The Astro Chem Lab prefers you contact it to get a sample kit/container.
2. Collect sample from the area where livestock are drinking. If collecting cyanobacteria (blue-green algae), take a sample in the bloom and wear gloves because it can be toxic to humans.
3. Rinse container several times using water to be sampled
4. Fill container completely. Be sure to collect water from deeper in the water and the surface.
5. Label container with the following information:
   a. name of waterbody
   b. name of sampler
   c. date collected
   d. time collected
6. Seal container tightly and wrap the top with tape to prevent leaking. Place the water in a sealed plastic bag.
7. Complete laboratory sample custody form required to be submitted with the sample. Contact the laboratory if needed.

8. If submitting a cyanobacteria sample, ship immediately on an ice pack (no wet ice, please) by next-day delivery. Do not freeze the sample or leave it on your vehicle’s dashboard (avoid temperature extremes). Fresh samples yield the best results. Many samples begin to degrade rapidly after collection; therefore, samples should be received by the laboratory within 24 hours whenever possible.

   *We recommend collecting and shipping samples before Friday to avoid shipping delays.

Testing Labs

NDSU Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory

www.vdl.ndsu.edu or 701-231-7527 or 701-231-8307

• Water screen: nitrates, pH, total dissolved solids (TDS), sulfates
• Cyanobacteria (blue-green algae) Identification
• Cyanotoxins
• Turnaround: Within one day of samples arriving at lab

North Dakota Department of Environmental Quality – Chemistry Division

Pricing or 701-328-6140

• General Water: pH, sulfate, nitrate +nitrite, total dissolved solids (TDS)
• Arsenic (not included in the water screen)
• Turnaround: Approximately two weeks

Minnesota Valley Testing Laboratories Inc.

www.mvtl.com or 701-258-9720

• Water screen: nitrates, conductivity, total dissolved solids (TDS), sulfates
• For specific tests and current pricing, contact MVTL at 701-258-9720 or visit www.mvtl.com.
• Turnaround: 10 days

Astro Chem Lab Inc.

Astro Chem Lab website or 701-572-7355

• Water screen: pH, conductivity, residual sodium carbonate, hardness, sodium adsorption ratio, total dissolved solids, sodium chloride, calcium, magnesium, sodium, iron, potassium, chloride, carbonate, bicarbonate, sulfate and nitrate + nitrate-N
• Turnaround: 5-10 business days

NDSU Extension does not endorse commercial products or companies even though reference may be made to tradenames, trademarks or service names.

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