MANAGEMENT ▶▶▶
Never assume that the water quality is good. Always: test it, treat it and flush it.
sanitising tool will be more effective. Effective chlorination requires a pH<7. A relatively easy way to test the disinfection potential of wa- ter in a broiler house is to use an oxidation reduction poten- tial meter (ORP meter) which measures in millivolts (mV). The higher the value, the better the disinfecting power of the chlorine added to the water. A low value indicates a heavy or- ganic load which will reduce the biocidal efficacy of chlorine.
The optimum level to kill E. coli and viruses is 650mV, while Salmonellae or Clostridia need a slight increase of 750mV. At levels of <250mV, chlorine will not be effective.
Drinker systems and management Many factors will influence the consumption of water in a broiler house (e.g. age, breed, house temperature, physical structure of the feed). A major factor will be the type of drinking equipment installed in the broiler house and how many units are available to the birds (i.e. number of birds per drinker/nipple). Over the last 20 years drinking systems for broilers have been further improved and fine-tuned but the major change from a hygiene point of view was a switch from open water sys- tems (bell drinkers) to closed systems (nipple lines). Open
Table 2 – Guidelines for water flow rate in nipple drinkers.
Age in weeks
Flow rate ml/min
1 40 2 50 3 60 4 70 5 ->
18 90 ▶ POULTRY WORLD | No. 2, 2020
water systems have a very high risk of bacterial contamina- tion, while organic and foreign matter more easily gain access to the water. This risk has been greatly reduced with the de- velopment of closed water systems. A closed system will also make it easier to control water temperature, minimise water spillage (drier litter), is easier to clean and will provide a bet- ter medium for the transport of medication and additives to the birds. Unfortunately, water is difficult to check visually in a daily inspection. Never assume that the water quality is good. Always: test it, treat it and flush it. Whatever system or equipment is used, it can only be suc- cessful if it is properly managed. A nipple system with a 360° nipple for easier access is preferred. Calculate the number of nipples at the rate for 8-12 birds (low/high flow). Any com- promise on this number will affect water intake and subse- quently feed intake and growth. The height of the drinkers will depend on the age of the flock. To start with the beak of the bird must have a 35 to 45 degree angle to the floor for easy access. As the birds grow this angle can increase to 75 to 85 degrees to avoid spillage. If the drinking height is not cor- rect this can be seen immediately from the behavior and wa- ter consumption patterns of the birds. It is important to test the amount of water that the nipples provide. This will be de- termined by the type of nipple, the pressure in the waterline and the cleanliness of the system. A simple way to test this is with a nipple flow meter. Table 2 can be used as a reference for water flow rate based on the age of the birds. Birds will spend less than one minute drinking, therefore, they should be able to consume the desired amount within this minute or performance will be reduced. Incorrect water- line management will greatly impact the performance of a flock and a 20% water intake reduction can already result in 200 gramme reduction in weight at 21 days. If water con- sumption decreases at any point during the bird health cycle, environment and management should be re-assessed. The main risk with closed water systems is the build-up of a biofilm which typically is not visible. This biofilm is a thick mucus (slime) secreted by bacteria which builds up on the in- side of a waterline if the system is not managed properly. This biofilm can cause flock health challenges as it harbours bac- teria such as E. coli and salmonella. Biofilms are also difficult to remove and require mechanical action to remove them from the water system. They may also block nipples or cause them to leak. A robust cleaning and sanitising programme during a turnaround is recommended to prevent biofilms. Between flocks, it is recommended that the waterline be flushed and sanitised for biofilm control. Flushing is only ef- fective with a water flow of 2 m/s (1.5 to 2 bars). A proven product to remove a biofilm from a drinker system is hydro- gen peroxide as it will break down the biofilm and is non-cor- rosive for the drinking system. Hydrogen peroxide is effective against bacteria, fungi, algae and viruses when used in the proper dosage and in good time.
PHOTO: COBB
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