Chemical prod- ucts have their limitations as they cannot get into microscopic cracks and little corners because they are just flushed away.


to region. Treatment should only be done if the results of a water quality analysis warrant it. Fairchild advises farmers to take samples to qualified laboratories. Samples, he says, should be collected regularly. Laboratories will evaluate samples for factors that impact taste, solid build-up and tox- icity. Factors include: pH, bacterial load, turbidity, colour, to- tal solids and hardness. They’ll test for iron, manganese, ni- trate, alkalinity and toxic compounds. According to recent studies, very high levels of iron, manganese and nitrates do not impact broiler health. Broiler performance will more like- ly be affected by equipment malfunctions due to high con- centrations than by health issues, says Fairchild. High iron levels can still be problematic, however, he notes. Some bac- teria, he adds, use iron as a nutrient source. Thriving bacteria develop biofilms to protect themselves from environmental challenges that are difficult to remove. “There is a relationship between water quality and biofilms,” he says. “I wouldn’t say all biofilms are due to poor water quality, but poor water quality could be one thing that could lead to a biofilm build up.” Biofilm is best described as a pro- tective layer that shelters micro-organisms from the ele- ments. Experts believe biofilm gives off an odour that makes drinking water less desirable. They also believe it spreads dis- ease and increases the risk of antimicrobial resistance, as


26 ▶ POULTRY WORLD | No. 4, 2021


surviving micro-organisms that hide in tiny nooks in pipes pass resistance genes on to the next generation.


Tackling biofilm There are plenty of products on the market that address this growing issue. One that stands out, is the CD-san Concept by Aumann Hygienetechnik, as it uses no chemicals. It was show- cased at EuroTier 2018 where it won an Innovation Award for animal welfare. When coupled with the Harsonic ultrasound system, the CD-san Concept enables thorough disinfection and cleaning when water lines are both empty and full. In the empty phase, the ultrasound system also amplifies the effect of disinfectants, explains Mieke van Genabet-Harteel, CEO of Harsonic. Chemical products have their limitations, she says. “They can- not get into microscopic cracks and little corners because they are just flushed away,” she adds. “And that is precisely where the resistant bacteria are located.” The ultrasound de- vice needs to be installed between the drinking lines where a PVC-mounted transducer is attached to a control unit. In situ- ations where livestock live on the ground, such as in poultry barns, two transducers are needed to treat 700-750 metres of waterline. Chickens in cages require just one unit for every 750m. One of the biggest benefits of using the ultrasound


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