UNDERSTANDING YOUR WATER PROFILE PRESENTED BY POULTRY PARTNERS AND AHPD

UNDERSTANDING YOUR WATER PROFILE PRESENTED BY POULTRY PARTNERS AND AHPD

WHY DOES IT MATTER? Water intake for commercial poultry breeds is 1.5-2x greater than feed intake Commercial birds drink more now than they did 10-20 years ago Depending on age, a birds body can contain between 60-85% water Eggs contain approx. 65% water Nutrition via the feed can be adjusted easily to better suit the nutrition found in the water

CHEMICAL COMPOSITION The chemical make-up of the water based on chemical and mineral content Dependent on location of water source Can change over time, routine monitoring is recommended

ph OF SAMPLE A measure of the acidity or alkalinity of the water ph > 7 is considered alkaline, ph < 7 is considered acidic ph measures the hydrogen ion concentration in the water Source: http://www.alleganynutrition.com/index.php?ph%20range%20chart

ph OF SAMPLE Poultry prefer a ph between 6.3-7.5 ph less than 6 begins to affect broiler performance due to palatability Low ph water may be corrosive to equipment over a prolonged period High ph water indicates the presence of calcium and magnesium and can negatively affect bird performance and clog water systems Source: North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service

ph OF SAMPLE Certain bacteria prefer an acidic environment while others prefer an alkaline environment Beneficial bacteria typically prefer an acidic environment Lactobacillus (beneficial bacteria) prefer a ph of 3.5-6.8

ph OF SAMPLE A recent study showed that gram negative bacteria (coliforms) had a 7% survival rate at a 6.9pH and a 66.1% survival rate at 8.3pH 100.00 90.00 80.00 70.00 60.00 50.00 40.00 30.00 20.00 10.00 0.00 Coliform Survivability ph 6.9 ph 8.3 Source: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/s1878029615000213

ph SUMMARY Target a ph of 6.3-7 to maximize performance Birds will drink less when ph is less than 6 or higher than 7.5 In general, beneficial bacteria prefer a low ph environment (acidic) and a harmful bacteria prefer a high ph environment (alkaline)

TDS Total Dissolved Solids Total dissolved solids (TDS) comprise inorganic salts (mainly calcium, magnesium, potassium, sodium, bicarbonates, chlorides, and sulfates) and some small amounts of organic matter that are dissolved in water.

TDS Total Dissolved Solids TDS can be thought of as salinity Salinity = any inorganic substance dissolved in water Water consumption increases with salinity until a point where birds will no longer drink the water High TDS levels are the most commonly found contaminants in poultry drinking water Seawater typical has 35000PPM TDS, human drinking water has less than 500PPM TDS

Source: SMART Fertilizer Management TDS Total Dissolved Solids TDS is directly related to Electrical Conductivity Salt water conducts electricity better than distilled water

TDS Total Dissolved Solids 0-1000ppm Very Good 1000-3000ppm Satisfactory, could cause wet dropping at upper limit 3000-5000ppm Poor, wet droppings, increased mortality may arise >5000ppm Unsatisfactory

TDS Water Softeners Good for removing magnesium, calcium and some iron Exchange sodium for other dissolved minerals Total TDS content does NOT change as sodium simply replaces the minerals that have been removed Need to closely monitor sodium levels in drinking water if using water softener Source: www.nsf.org/newsroom_pdf/cons_sodium_tds.pdf

TDS Reverse Osmosis Good for removing all minerals associated with TDS Uses high pressure and fine membranes to filter out the minerals Will significantly lower overall TDS content

Hardness A measurement of the divalent cations dissolved in the water Divalent cations: calcium, magnesium, manganese and iron Related to TDS but does NOT include sodium <100ppm considered soft >100ppm considered hard

Hardness Generally not a concern for poultry until levels approach 1500ppm Hard water will interfere with the effectiveness of soaps, disinfectants and some medications delivered via the water Acidic or neutral detergents work best in extremely hard water Hard water is associated with mineral scale build up (calcium + magnesium)

Hardness Mineral scale buildup can cause leaky nipples and create a rough surface for biofilms to attach to Recommend acidifying hard water to avoid mineral scale buildup Water softeners or reverse osmosis systems will both soften the water

Nitrates and Nitrites Nitrate is formed during decomposition of organic matter The presence of nitrate/nitrite usually indicates that the water has been contaminated by runoff containing fertilizer or animal wastes Nitrate = final product, Nitrite = intermediate product during decomposition

Nitrates and Nitrites Nitrate is NOT toxic to poultry Nitrite IS toxic to poultry Microorganisms in the avian digestive tract convert nitrate back to nitrite Nitrite eventually goes into the bloodstream where it binds hemoglobin and interferes with oxygen transport Long-term nitrate and/or nitrite toxicity results in poor growth, decreased feed consumption, and poor coordination Source: University of Kentucky

Nitrates and Nitrites Nitrate <10ppm considered satisfactory, higher amounts will start to show negative performance effects Only trace amounts of nitrite are acceptable in drinking water (<0.5ppm), even small amounts will show negative performance effects Older birds are more tolerable to nitrate/nitrite than younger birds

Nitrates and Nitrites Deeper wells have less chance of being contaminated by nitrate/nitrite Consider drilling a deep well away from areas will high concentrations of animal manure or fertilizer run-off Reverse osmosis or ion exchange filtration systems can also aid in removing nitrate/nitrite from your water

Sulfates Sulfate in water usually comes from naturally occurring sulfur minerals that are being dissolved into the groundwater Similar to other minerals, the presence of sulfates can lead to a build up of mineral scale in the water lines Presence of sulfate can give the water a bitter taste

Sulfates Elevated sulfate levels can have a laxative effect on birds Individual bird performance may not be hindered by moderate sulfate levels but there may be an increase in dirty eggs and wet litter which can trigger other problems Levels as low as 50ppm can have a laxative effect depending on the concentration of sodium and magnesium

Sulfates May be present as sodium sulfate or magnesium sulfate Magnesium sulfate generally has a more depressing effect on birds however the presence of either will increase water intake, increase mortality and decrease egg production with increasing concentration Analyze your water sample for sulfate along with corresponding values for sodium and magnesium Source: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1153372

Sulfates Sulfur-reducing/oxidizing bacteria use the sulfates in water as a source of food These bacteria can form a black slime in the waterlines or filtration system which leads to further complex biofilm growth Rotten egg smell in water may indicate the presence of these bacteria (H2S gas) Presence of sulfur reducing bacteria Source: http://www.specialpathogenslab.com/sulfate-reducing-bacteria.php

Sulfates Levels of 15-40 ppm are considered acceptable 200ppm considered maximum acceptable level in conjunction with high magnesium or sodium High levels can be alleviated using ion exchange filtration systems (chloride) Retention tanks can be aerated to gas off sulfur Daily sanitation programs using an oxidizer will reduce the amount of sulfate and sulfur-reducing/oxidizing bacteria in the water Source: Dr. Susan Watkins

Alkalinity Describes the buffering capacity of the water (capacity of the water to neutralize acid) A sum of ALL of the carbonates present Not the same as ph Two samples may have the same initial ph but the sample with the higher alkalinity will require more acid to reduce the ph Acids will only start reducing the ph once all of the carbonate has been bound

Alkalinity Can give water a bitter taste and make it unpalatable to birds Acidification will reduce alkalinity Inorganic acids will be more effective at reducing the alkalinity than organic acids Levels up to 100ppm considered average Levels >300ppm considered maximum desirable level Source: Dr. Susan Watkins

Sodium Can be present as numerous salts (sodium chloride, sodium sulfate, sodium bicarbonate etc.) Excess sodium can increase water intake, especially during times of heat stress Source: European Poultry Science

Sodium Can cause laxative effects in the presence of high chloride or sulfates leading to wet litter conditions Body weights and feed conversion can be negatively affected by high sodium concentrations High sodium can increase the proliferation of enterococci bacteria These effects can be reduced by adjusting the sodium content in the feed

Sodium ~32ppm sodium considered average Sodium >50ppm will cause negative effects if: Chloride is >14ppm Sulfates are >50ppm Reverse osmosis systems can reduce the sodium content in the water The use of daily sanitizers will reduce the likelihood of enterococci bacterial growth Source: Dr. Susan Watkins

Chloride Can cause laxative effects when combined with moderate levels of chloride or sulfates Levels as low as 14ppm can cause laxative effects when sodium or sulfate exceed 50ppm High levels can cause metabolic acidosis Metabolic acidosis can affect the birds ability to deposit calcium into the egg shell Source: Barn Health

Chloride Maximum desirable level: 250ppm Levels >500ppm will cause a laxative effect, reduced feed intake and increased water intake Chloride levels in the feed can be adjusted to suit the water profile Reverse osmosis systems can reduce the chloride content in the water Source: Nutreco Canada

Calcium Birds are very tolerant to high levels of calcium High levels are a greater concern to equipment than to birds Calcium >100ppm may cause a build up of mineral scale which can clog equipment and create a surface for biofilm growth A water softener or acidifying the water will reduce the likelihood that calcium will precipitate and form a mineral scale

Iron Can cause a red/brown colour in the water Creates a metallic taste to the water but birds are very tolerable of this taste and it does not affect water intake Iron posses a risk for bacteria growth, primarily E Coli and Pseudomonas Nipples may leak due to an iron deposit

Iron Levels below 0.3ppm are considered acceptable Mechanical filtration can remove iron from water Routine sanitation can prevent iron loving bacteria from proliferating

Copper Most likely source is from corroding pipes or fittings High levels can cause oral lesions or gizzard erosion Levels exceeding 0.6ppm can cause bad taste and odor May promote liver damage in long living birds Reverse osmosis or ion exchange filtration systems can remove excess copper

Magnesium Associated with high ph, hard water Forms Epsom salt with combined with sulfates Causes increased water intake and wet droppings when combined with high levels of sulfates Levels as low as 50ppm may cause a laxative effect in the presence of sulfates >125ppm considered maximum acceptable limit

MICROBIOLOGY All living components that are found in the water sample Can be obtained via a swab or free flow test If conducting a free flow test ensure the correct sample bottle is used and maintain a sterile technique The goal is 0 CFU/mL for all bacteria Poultry infections due to bacteria from the waterlines are usually secondary to other conditions (leaky gut)

MICROBIOLOGY Chemical water profile has a large impact on the micro profile of the water Mineral deposits create a rough surface for water born bacteria to attach to Source: Montana State University

MICROBIOLOGY Biofilms grow exponentially and as they grow they create a thick layer of film which cannot be penetrated by routine sanitizers Routine sanitizers will only eliminate the bacteria on the surface of the biofilm Source: Montana State University

MICROBIOLOGY As the biofilms grow they begin to disperse Once they disperse they can attach to rough surfaces or onto other existing biofilms Source: Montana State University

Removing Bacteria Routine sanitizers such as low level chlorine, low level peroxide or chlorine dioxide do an excellent job of keeping clean water sanitary These routine sanitizers do not work well against biofilms that are already established They cannot penetrate beyond the surface of the biofilm Source: Liquid Mineral Services

Removing Bacteria Peroxide treatment in between flocks will penetrate and loosen the biofilm Take extra caution to ensure that the waterlines are well vented when using peroxide Trigger all nipples during procedure

Removing Bacteria Reducing the ph to 4-5 using an acidifier in-between cycles will remove any mineral buildup in the water lines This reduces the odds of a biofilm being able to attach the walls of the waterlines or fittings by removing the rough mineral scale surface

Removing Bacteria Using a commercial disinfectant as a final step in your cleaning protocol will ensure that all remaining pathogenic microorganisms are eliminated Do not exceed manufacturers suggested concentrations Be cautious when using disinfectants containing aldehydes and ensure that the waterlines are well flushed prior to receiving birds

Removing Bacteria Once the lines have been cleaned and new birds are in the barn it is good practice to use a routine sanitizer The following are safe and effective concentrations in the drinking water: Chlorine: 2-3ppm Chlorine Dioxide 0.1-0.3ppm Peroxide 25-50ppm

Routine Water Sanitizers