Water Acidifier in Broiler Production

Few Interesting and good questions being raised and i have few things to add like 1. I have seen farmers applying acidifier or sanitizers 24 X 7 in drinking water of bird which i think is wrong practice as by this the intake of water get affected and especially organs like kidney and liver get affected. So my practical suggestion will be that farmer should give at least one time fresh water to bird irrespective of issue like Ph, TDS or bacterial load. 2. RO treated water is equal to perfect water as per my understanding for the bird required nothing like acidifier or sanitizer. any idea?

Of course the RO water is advocable as I reiterated.However it is true that when we appteciate RO water we encourage the water with low TDS.Hence ignoring the importance of TDS by any one is not acceptible in the discussion.We should be concerned with the source of water which is in by and large from the boring well catering high content of dissolved solid.even arsenic and lead beyond their threshhold value.Until we ensure those increminating elements free we do little progress in farming with fresh water.Utilisation of iodophores.acidifier.and sanitizers had ofcourse had some positive impact though they are chemicals and cotribute ill effects on liver and renal functioning in case those treated water feeding continues for three months and above.On the contrary the life cycle of broilers restricts to 45 days before getting slaughtered after attaining expected growth.There such apprehension towards affecting hepato renal function while rearing Broilers on treated water is proved to be redundant.

My Dear Dr Rama Prasad Chakraborty 1. Total Dissolved Salts (TDS) or Total Soluble Salts (TSS) is expressed as parts per million (ppm) or milligrams per liter (mg/l) or micrograms per milliliters (µg/ml) ..... not in 'ppb'. 2. A TDS of "0 to 1000 ppm" is considered good for poultry. 3. A pH between 6.5 and 8.5 gives satisfactory performance in poultry. 4. For Total bacteria count (cfu/ml), an average '0' is ideal (maximum acceptable: 100). Furthermore, regular assessments of water quality (suggested every 6 months - at least once a year) are necessary to ensure that microbial load and mineral content are within acceptable levels.

I knew that the hardness is calculated in PPM not in PPB as the equipment we had .is calibrated in terms of PPM. However, there is nothing to add on, as 1000ppm hardness is equal to 100ppb.In my opinion we can safely introduce water from 500ppm or 50 ppb to 300ppb or 3000ppm (Maximum).Hence making ppb an issue is looked to be ridiculous and away from the crux of discussion.

My dear Dr.Ahmed, I knew that the hardness is calculated in PPM not in PPB as the equipment we had .is calibrated in terms of PPM. However, there is nothing to add on, as 1000ppm hardness is equal to 100ppb.In my opinion we can safely introduce water from 500ppm or 50 ppb to 300ppb or 3000ppm (Maximum).Hence making ppb an issue is looked to be ridiculous and away from the crux of discussion.

In a hurry I had sent some extent of miss-figure like putting ppb instead of ppm.The recommended hard water for safe drinking to birds should have TDS as 50 ppmTO 300 ppm not ppb. I do categorically improve my all numerical figures which were wrongly expressed in ppb.I am grateful to Dr.Ahmed to guide me accordingly.My other point of suggestion would be kept unabated.We can go maximum to 500ppm of hardness while water with 1000ppm is absolutely hard water which may interfere mineral absorption despite incorporation as per desire.PLEASE READ THIS ONE AS MY FINAL OPINION ONLY.

I would like to interpret the view of calculation to ascertain ppm value.It means parts per million i.e.one mg per kg of water or it would be one micro gram per one gram or one litre of water.The figure ventilated by Dr.Ahmed needs further review.

Thanks for such an informative article about the water treatment with acidifiers & sanitizers. However I have some questions from the authors, 1- what should be the pH of water to be used for poultry? 2- What should be the concentration of the organic acids to be used? 3- what type of organic acids, either single or combinations, are best for poultry? 4- Poultry gut has different type of pH at different parts, So how can we stabilize the acids to reach ileum, so as to check the growth of pathogenic bacteria? 5- If water is contaminated, the salmonella is absorbed in the crop. Then what should be the interval after adding the acidifiers to provide the birds with treated water? 6- We have to vaccinate the birds and have to provide some vitamins and some other medicines, either in feed or in drinking water. So How much time this acidifiers treated water should be provided daily and what will be the interaction with vitamins

7- Can we use these acidifiers in summer, as the birds are suffering from metabolic acidosis, during heat stress period? Kindly assure the response, for farmers guidance. Thanks.

Mr.Muhammad Tahir Naseem:- In poultry science Water acidification protocols for the prevention or management of certain bacterial diseases had been developed, but in many instances required a drinking water pH at bird level of 4.0 or below to be effective. Due to the lack of solid information on what type of water broilers and chickens preferred, many within the industry were reluctant to acidify the drinking water to those biologically effective low levels. A high-pH crop environment (pH greater than 7.0) flavors microflora that can hurt poultry performance. Poultry water treatment through acidification of the drinking water acidifies the crop, thereby encouraging the growth of favorable microflora while discouraging microflora that can harm intestinal integrity and function. Water acidification is most critical during the establishment of intestinal microflora and at each feed change when nutrient shifts can create instability in the normal intestinal microflora ecology. I hope to have addressed your query.

In practical field I use one day acidifier & one day chlorination.

Dirty vent problem reduce. Pls give suggestion the alternative technique for acidification and chlorination to minimize the cost.

When we follow water acidification ,that time need of water sanitisation ,what type is recommadable. If First 7 days following acidification,than later stages when it was recommended.

In my working area more and more the ORP system is used in both turkey and broiler farms. First set the pH of the drinkingwater at 3.8 by using a mixture of organic acids and buffered organic acids. Then add sodiumhypochlorite until you reach the estimated ORP of 650 mV. Most of the time a dosage of sodiumhypochlorite 15 % of 100-150 ml per 1000 litres of water is enough. In this way you keep your drinkingsystem sanitized( no blocked nipples, no biofilm, no bacteria) , block intake of bad bacteria like E coli / salmonella and have a positive effect on guthealth (development of lactobacillus). Also we see no wet litter problems anymore. Even antibiotic-use is reduced. This is done the whole period of fattening , excluded the days of vaccination / medication etc. But be aware of the danger : do not mix the acids and chlorine-product in the same vessel .Use separate dosage equipment to inject the products.

What is the interaction between acidifiers and vaccines in water? If we use acidifier in water and pH of water will be about 4-4.5 , could we sure about microbial level of water?

So valuable information,especially my great teacher. Thanks.

Dr. Rama Prasad Chakraborty Do you have to install water filtration plant on the farm

Please read the above values of TDS as ppm only not ppb.only as it eatlier was mistyped.

OK I WILL THANK YOU FOR YOUR CARE Dr. Rama Prasad Chakraborty

Thanks Mr.Tawfik For expressing due acknowledgement on my sayings.There was a question on the utilization of water acidifier while doing vaccination through drinking water.My precise suggestion to avoid chlorinated or acidifed water during such process as there is enough possibility to prove your effort of vaccination frivolous.During that point of time,better insist on using water from any RO only with low TDS value ,free from any major contamination through the process of filtration taken place in RO system.