By Dr. Ashok Rajguru, Program Manager, Trouw Nutrition South Asia
Introduction
Water is the most important nutrient for poultry which plays a critical role in bird performance. The main functions of water are thermoregulation, digestion, and absorption of nutrients. It also acts as a carrier for administering additives, such as medication, supplements, etc. Chickens consume twice as much water as feed. Water quality takes on an increasingly valuable role as public concern over antibiotic use in the poultry industry. Water quality is one of the most critical and least appreciated factors for bird performance. Therefore, providing a clean and safe water supply is crucial for optimal broiler performance (Fig.1).
Figure 1: Supply of clean water to birds
To ensure water quality, we must check the following parameter
- Physical examination- Color, taste, odour and Turbidity
- Chemical Test – pH, Hardness, TDS, Alkalinity, Mineral level
- Microbial Analysis – Total bacterial count, Coliform, Enterobacteriaceae, E. coli, Salmonella, Mold count
- Physical Examination
Drinking water should be clear, tasteless, odourless, and colourless. As a general observation, a reddish-brown colour may indicate the presence of iron, while a blue colour indicates the presence of copper. Hydrogen sulfide is indicated by a rotten egg odour. Hydrogen sulfide may also combine with iron to form black water (iron sulfide), implicating the presence of sulfate-reducing bacteria. Taste can be affected by the presence of salts, and a bitter taste is usually associated with the presence of ferrous and manganese sulfates. Turbidity results from suspending materials such as silt, clay, algae or organic materials in water.
- Chemical analysis
- Water pH
The acidity or alkalinity of water is measured by pH. A pH of 7 indicates that the water is neutral, a pH less than 7 indicates acidity and a pH greater than 7 indicates alkalinity. High-pH water is also unacceptable since it reflects high levels of calcium and magnesium, which can clog watering systems. Poultry accepts water on the acidic side better than they accept water on the alkaline side. The ideal water pH should be 5.5-6.
- Total Dissolved Solids (TDS)
Measurement of total dissolved solids (TDS), or salinity, indicates levels of inorganic ions dissolved in water. Calcium, magnesium, and sodium salts are the primary components that contribute to TDS. High levels of TDS are the most found contaminants responsible for causing harmful effects in poultry production.
- Hardness
Hardness refers to the presence of dissolved minerals such as calcium and magnesium in either bicarbonate or sulfate form and is expressed as an equivalent of calcium carbonate. Hard water is commonly associated with the buildup of deposits and the formation of scale in the components of the watering system. High levels of magnesium sulfate (MgSO4) may cause an increase in water consumption, wet droppings, and a drop in production. Extreme hardness may diminish the effectiveness of water-administered medications, disinfectants, and cleaning agents.
- Alkalinity
Alkalinity is measure of the capacity of water to neutralize acids. The Alkalinity predominantly content carbonates, bicarbonates and hydroxides. The bicarbonate ion is usually prevalent. Alkalinity is generally associated with high pH, Hardness & TDS. High alkalinity water may have distinctly flat, unpleasant tast.so alkalinity should not exceed 200 mg/ L for potable water. Alkalinity is important because it majorly decides the water acidifier required quantity for desired pH reduction.
Table 1: Water Quality (Chemical) Standard for Poultry
| Water Quality Parameter | Maximum Value |
| Total Hardness | 300 mg/L |
| TDS | 1000 mg/L |
| Alkalinity | 300 mg/L |
| pH | 5.5-6 |
| Calcium | 100 mg/L |
| Chloride | 250 mg/L |
| Copper | 0.6 mg/L |
| Cadmium | 0.01 mg/ml |
| Iron | 0.3 mg/L |
| Lead | 0.02 mg/L |
| Magnesium | 125 mg/L |
| Nitrite | 4 mg/L |
| Nitrate | 20 mg/L |
| Sodium | 50 mg/L |
| Sulfate | 250 mg/ml |
| Zinc | 1.5 mg/L |
* Watkins, S. 2008. Water: Identifying and correcting challenges. Avian Advice 10(3): 10–15
- Microbial Analysis
Water is the most important nutrient for bird performance, but water is also a major source of water contamination which disturbs poultry gut health and overall performance. Water is a carrier of microbial challenges and easily can contaminate the drinking system of broiler houses with biofilms (Fig. 2) which would affect the quality and quantity of water intake. When bacteria attach to the interior wall of a water pipe, they begin to exude a sticky substance called biofilm (fig.2). This substrate becomes an ideal home for bacteria to reproduce and colonize. Biofilm can build up rapidly and become a breeding ground for waterborne pathogens, such as E. coli. Biofilms will affect bird performance consequent to the reduced effectiveness of medication & vaccination, reduced nipple flow rate, blocked drinking system/nipple or nipple leakage and increased bacterial disease mortality. There should be bacterial count within permissible limits. (table no.2). E. coli is introduced into the water system, and they can survive/multiply in the biofilm.
Table. 2
Figure 2: Pipeline water biofilm
Strategies for optimizing water quality:
There are four commonly used methods to manage biofilm threats in poultry drinking. The first addresses pathogens that enter the bird through contaminated water, while others focus on preventing pathogen intake.
- Acidification supports digestion
Providing a level of protection against pathogens that enter the bird via the biofilm, acidification helps control water and stomach microbes while reducing pathogenic bacteria in birds’ intestines. Water acidifiers reduce the pH of water to less than 4.5 a level at which many pathogenic bacteria struggle to survive. Low pKa (strength of an acid) and undissociated organic acids reaching the stomach may also help control gram-negative bacteria ingested through contaminated feed or faces. These organic acids may deliver antimicrobial efficacy in the acidic stomach region as they pass through the walls of bacteria and fungi, altering their metabolism.
As a low pH is required for the digestion of most plant- and animal-derived proteins, organic acids can help assure less undigested protein reaches the hindgut, potentially reducing the threat of dysbacteriosis. Selko pH a blend of organic acids may be worth considering when the objective is to combat biofilm and improve animal digestion, gastrointestinal microbial balance or animal performance. Selko-pH improved the zootechnical performance of broilers and could be a suitable alternative to in-feed AGPs to maintain growth performance. (Table. 3 & Fig.3)
Treatment Table.3
| Application Rate | |
| Negative Control*1 | – |
| Positive Control*2 | 50 ppm |
| Selko pH** | 1L/1000L water |
*Water pH:7.80 **Water pH:3.42 – – Daily stepwise approach: day 1, Day 2, Day3:0.8 L/1000 L water, >4 days:1 L/1000 L water – BMD (bacitracin methylene di salicylate) in feed
Fig.3 Final body weight (83% confidence interval as error bars) of broilers receiving an antibiotic growth promoter (AGP) in feed (positive control) or Selko®-pH in water on day 35. Columns with different superscripts (a,b) are significantly different (p < 0.05)
- Flushing pipeline
Clean drinking water begins with flushing. The system should be flushed with clean water between bird cycles and after any treatment, such as vaccines, antibiotics or vitamins delivered through water. As disease risk is highest during a bird’s first week, it is advisable to flush systems at least twice during the first week of production. Flushing with clean water loosens substances that can contribute to biofilm and washes away buildups that can clog equipment. High-pressure flush (2 to 3 bars/units) should be applied during the flushing process.
- Disinfection with Hydrogen peroxide
A simple and effective disinfectant usage between cycles like hydrogen peroxide will work very well in killing many bacteria and removing biofilm buildup. It also helps to prevent biofilm formation to some extent. Applying the proper concentration of hydrogen peroxide (35 % conc.) with 1-3 % water solution and allowing adequate treatment time is important to achieve desired disinfection results. Hydrogen peroxide works best for disinfection purposes and not for regular practice or as a substitute for water acidification.
- Chlorination as water sanitization approach
Chlorin can be used as a maintenance disinfectant during the production cycle. Flushing is the first step in the disinfecting process, followed by chlorination. Generally, a concentration of sodium hypochlorite at 15% (100 to 150 mL/1000 L water) or chlorine dioxide applied at 0.2 to 0.4 mg/L water is recommended. The target level of residual free chlorine is important and should be between 2-3 ppm or oxidative reduction potential (ORP) in the range of 650 to 700 millivolts. Chlorination becomes even more effective when combined with a proper approach to acidification for effective killing bacteria.
Fig. 4: pH dependent effectiveness of free chlorine
Conclusion
Poor water quality can lead to increased water microbial growth which impacts bird gut health and builds up biofilm inside the drinker pipeline. A regular sanitation program on farms will help to improve water quality. The microbial, chemical, and physical quality of water should be monitored regularly or periodically. A good pipeline cleaning program should be in place to increase the shelf life of pipelines and to prevent the formation of biofilms. A water sanitation cum acidification protocol should be in place for improving the quality of water that has been provided to birds and for optimizing their gut health conditions. Selko pH when applied in the right dose in the drinking water of poultry, improves the overall bird performance and can serve as an effective product in antibiotic-free rearing practices as well.
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