HEAL ▶▶▶TH
Ensuring water quality in poultry production
BY MELANIE EPP M
uch research has been done on water quality, the results of which offer producers new ways to improve quality on the farm. Brian Fairchild, University of Georgia extension poultry scien-
tist, shares his expertise on water quality and management in poultry production, while MID Sweden University post-doc researcher Sharon Maes shares the results of her PhD thesis on new tools for research into biofilms.
Factors of water consumption Water is crucial in poultry production, not just for the birds but also for the poultry houses. In some barns, water is used to reduce air temperature via evaporative cooling and fog- ging systems. Birds can cool themselves – they do this by panting – but need to consume more water in order to do so. Water is needed for proper growth and development as well. In broilers, water is critical for metabolism, nutrient transport, body temperature regulation and joint and organ lubrication, as Fairchild explained in a recent interview. Research shows that there is a strong relationship between feed and water consumption, so much so that water consumption can be used as an indicator of flock performance. There are several factors that affect water consumption, in- cluding bird age, environmental temperature and lighting programmes, Fairchild explains. As birds age they consume more water but overall consumption relative to body weight decreases. Birds will consume more water when environmen- tal temperatures are high. In fact, consumption may double and even triple when heat stress occurs. Researchers have also monitored flock behaviour to see if water consumption increases when birds are supplied with cool water in times of heat stress. It was found that water temperature does indeed improve the performance of both broilers and layers. Any temperature below the body temperature of the bird is bene- ficial, says Fairchild. Another factor that impacts water con- sumption is the farm’s lighting programme. In houses with a lighting programme, peak consumption occurs just after the lights come on and again prior to the lights going out.
Quality is crucial In a perfect world, poultry producers would supply their
▶ POULTRY WORLD | No. 4, 2021 25
While crucial to healthy flock development, water receives less attention than nutrition and environment. Yet water – both quantity and quality – is integral to overall flock health.
flocks with the same water they drink, says Fairchild, but do- ing so is expensive and offers no return on investment. Lucki- ly, poultry don’t need human-quality drinking water. Al- though poultry don’t require sterile water for drinking, heavily contaminated water is not suitable either. Poor water quality can interfere with digestion and impact overall per- formance. It can also hinder the effectiveness of vaccines and medications that are delivered via the water lines. More often than not though, poor water quality creates indirect prob- lems. It can clog up water lines and cooling systems. This, in turn, restricts consumption and cooling capacity, both of which can have a detrimental effect on growth and reproduc- tion, says Fairchild. Poor water quality can also result in leaky water nipples, which leaves litter wet and increases ammonia production, he adds. Poor litter quality and high ammonia can reduce performance and quality of life.
Regular testing Water quality is determined by its composition beyond hy- drogen and oxygen molecules, and that varies from region
As birds age they consume more water but overall con- sumption rela- tive to body weight decreases.
PHOTO: REINA DE VRIES
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44
