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By Dr. Salah H. Esmail , Cairo, Egypt
Water is the most important of all nutrients, amounting to approximately 58% of the content of chickens and 66% of eggs. It serves as a medium in which nutrients are transported, wastes eliminated, and body temperature maintained. It also serves as a source of minerals, providing about 20% of sodium, 7% of calcium, 5% of magnesium, and 15% of sulphur requirements of poultry. It should not be overlooked as a source of such nutrients, particularly in tropical and subtropical areas where mineral deficiency might be a problem.Water was also found to be an effective means of improving feed efficiency. A new system of providing oxygenated water to poultry was developed lately by H2O Technologies in Washington. The addition of oxygen to water helped increase metabolic rates in broilers, resulting in a 32% increase in feed efficiency and 12% reduction in feed costs. These results are certainly promising for most poultry enterprises aiming at achieving target slaughter weights in shorter periods of time.
Water deprivation
In cases where water supply is restricted, there is a marked drop in feed intake, probably due to the reduced rate of digestion by delaying movement of feed from the crop (Table 1), with a resulting depression in weight gain. Chicks subjected to prolonged water deprivation develop nephrosis,
polycythemia, shrivelling of the skin around the legs, and other gross signs of dehydration. Adult hens deprived of water show necrosis of the ovaries, proventriculitis, and nephrosis, with a marked decrease in egg size and eggshell weight. Very thin shelled eggs are produced after 48 hours of water restriction, followed by the production of some shell-less eggs before egg production ceases entirely.
In cases where water supply is restricted, there is a marked drop in feed intake, probably due to the reduced rate of digestion by delaying movement of feed from the crop (Table 1), with a resulting depression in weight gain. Chicks subjected to prolonged water deprivation develop nephrosis,
polycythemia, shrivelling of the skin around the legs, and other gross signs of dehydration. Adult hens deprived of water show necrosis of the ovaries, proventriculitis, and nephrosis, with a marked decrease in egg size and eggshell weight. Very thin shelled eggs are produced after 48 hours of water restriction, followed by the production of some shell-less eggs before egg production ceases entirely.Water quality
Standards for water quality should include factors that affect health, taste, solid build up within the water systems, and toxicity. Given in Table 2 are the main factors to be observed for poultry production. In addition, water should not be allowed to remain static, or else it will become stagnant. It should also be remembered that in some climates, particularly in the tropics and subtropics, water may provide a chance for mosquitoes and other insects to lay eggs. Hence, all external reservoirs must be well covered and internal drinkers should be cleaned regularly.
Quality in relation to source
Most public supplies nowadays are regarded as safe sources of water. In some countries, however, public supplies may not be reliable even for human consumption. Reports from Sudan, for example, have revealed that water from public supply stations is not provided continuously, and that there are periods of cessation each lasting for several days or even weeks. Further, quality tests have revealed presence of a wide range of microbes causing diseases such as diarrhoea, malaria, yellow fever, and typhoid, with tremendous amounts of solids and impurities which make water look like mango juice or diluted molasses with a taste being totally unacceptable. Such supply problems and quality factors have forced many farmers in this country to stop their cropping activities and poultry rearing business on the grounds that if water is not suitable for human consumption, it would usually be so for animals and other living creatures.
Most public supplies nowadays are regarded as safe sources of water. In some countries, however, public supplies may not be reliable even for human consumption. Reports from Sudan, for example, have revealed that water from public supply stations is not provided continuously, and that there are periods of cessation each lasting for several days or even weeks. Further, quality tests have revealed presence of a wide range of microbes causing diseases such as diarrhoea, malaria, yellow fever, and typhoid, with tremendous amounts of solids and impurities which make water look like mango juice or diluted molasses with a taste being totally unacceptable. Such supply problems and quality factors have forced many farmers in this country to stop their cropping activities and poultry rearing business on the grounds that if water is not suitable for human consumption, it would usually be so for animals and other living creatures.
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Source: World Poultry, Vol. 27, No. 7, 2011
