Water is a critical nutrient that receives little attention until a problem arises. Not only should producers make an effort to provide water in adequate quantity, they should also know what is in the water that will be flowing through the water lines to be used in evaporative cooling systems and consumed by the birds. Water is needed for bird consumption, reducing air temperature (including evaporative cooling pad and fogging systems) and facility sanitation. Broilers consume approximately 1.6 to 2.0 times as much water as feed on a weight basis. Water is a critical nutrient in bird metabolism and nutrition. From a physiology perspective, water consumed by the bird is used for nutrient transportation, enzymatic and chemical reactions in the body, body temperature regulation and lubrication of joints and organs. There is a strong relationship between feed and water consumption; therefore, water can be used to monitor flock performance.
Air is made up of appox. 21% oxygen. Air acts as a big reservoir for oxygen. Oxygen concentration in water is limited by its solubility:
Borewell/Tube well water has NO DISSOLVED OXYGEN?
“Normal underground water concentrations have little or no dissolved oxygen”
Ref.: Brian D. Fairehild and Casey W. Ritz
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INTRODUCTION Campylobacteriosis is among the most frequently reported bacterial foodborne infection in both the European Union (EU) and the United States, with Campylobacter jejuni as the major causative agent. In the last decade, the number of confirmed infections in the EU exceeded 200,000/year. Symptoms of campylobacteriosis include diarrhea, fever and cramps. Death rarely occurs, but complications can increase more than fivefold due to infections with antibiotic-resistant...
The first few days of life are some of the most important in chicks' lives. During this time, chicks start developing and set themselves up for the rest of their lifetime. The husbandry decisions made at this point can impact the birds' growth, development, health and welfare. This newsletter will focus on three important...
1. Introduction Animal welfare is a fundamental component of sustainability, agricultural development and food security. In order for a livestock system to be sustainable, it should be sustainable economically, environmentally and ecologically, and at the same time, it should be accepted ethically and socially [1–3]. Today, a product of animal origin is not considered sustainable unless the social demand for welfare of the production animals is satisfied [1]. Animal...
by Sam Shafer
We know that young geese benefit from warmer drinking water, but what is the optimal water temperature? Poultry scientists take a closer look
A new investigation into goose health suggests providing drinking water that is at least 18? (64.4?) may boost the activity of digestive enzymes, promote intestinal development, increase water consumption, and even increase goose eye temperature. Based on their findings, the...
Dr. Mário Penz (Cargill) discusses the consequences of not managing water properly and the different factors to consider regarding its quality, during this Engormix interview....
INTRODUCTION In practice it is very difficult, if not impossible; to formulate diets with natural feed ingredients that will provide all the amino acids needed by broiler chickens in adequate quantities. The optimal use of liquid and synthetic amino acids in animal diets, therefore, becomes important not only in nutrition and economic aspects, but also in environmental aspects. It is well known that optimal use synthetic amino acid improves amino acid balance and protein...
I Introduction As the single greatest nutrient input into the production of eggs and meat, water quality and quantity deserve careful attention to assure optimal flock performance. Twenty-five years of assisting the poultry industry worldwide with identifying and correcting drinking water challenges provides the foundation of experience and expertise which will be shared in this paper. Birds are fairly tolerant of most contaminants in drinking water. While standards exist for...
Mohammad Afrouziyeh (University of Alberta / Poultry Innovation Partnership) shares his recommendations and insights on water quality, as well as a new tool to control it, during this Engormix interview....
While summer spells fun for most of us, it’s a little different for our poultry animals such as broilers and laying hens. High temperatures cause drops in production, dehydration and heat stress which may lead to more problems like foot pad dermatitis, respiratory symptoms, shell quality problems and even death. So let's take extra care to ensure poultry welfare by providing them with easy access to clean water, shade, and proper ventilation to prevent heat exhaustion. Make sure to monitor...
The issue of antibiotics resistance on animals has raised concerns about meat safety and human health. The banning of antibiotics- growth promoter in animal feed was announced in the EU in 2006. Other countries are starting to follow the regulation to comply with the compulsory withdrawal periods to ensure ‘antibiotics free products. Supplementation in nutrients to enhance the immunity system and lower the risk of the pathogen can help to reach the balance between maintaining animal...
Water meters are used as a management tool to track daily water usage in poultry houses. Most mechanical water meters used in poultry housing can only measure water flow rates more than 0.25 gals/min which limits reliable measurement of water usage for birds that are less than four days of age. Producers can now accurately measure water usage within minutes of chicks being placed in the house by using ultrasonic water meters. Modern house controllers can collect, store, and graph water...
Tom Tabler (The University of Tennessee) explains why neglecting pH or the presence of bacteria in the water can prove costly, in this interview during IPPE 2023 in Atlanta, USA....
Garret Ashabranner (University of Georgia) explains the different issues that can be identified by using water meters, in this interview during IPPE 2023 in Atlanta, USA....
Acidification of drinking water of broilers prior to processing is commonly used to reduce Salmonella entering into the plant, via crop contamination. This study evaluated an organic acid and essential oil product (OEP), when provided in the drinking water (3 ml/gallon) early and/or late in production, for reduction in S. heidelberg (SH) colonization in broilers. Eight hundred Ross x Ross day-old male chicks were assigned to 4 treatments in 32 floor pens, with 8 replicates per treatment and...
Daily water consumption has been used as a management tool by poultry producers for decades. Since water consumption is closely correlated to feed consumption, decreases in daily water consumption are often an indicator of reduced feed consumption and/or health issue. With the emergence of ultrasonic water meters bird water usage can now be more accurately monitored on a minute-to-minute basis thus providing the opportunity to view bird drinking/feeding activity over the course of the day...
Jonathan Broomhead (Perstorp) talks about his research on Salmonella reduction with organic acids and essential oils, in this interview during IPPE 2023 in Atlanta, USA....