Evaluation of different drinking water sources in Sokoto North-West Nigeria on performance, carcass traits and haematology of broiler chickens

Abstract

Aim:The study examined the effect of different drinking water sources on performance, carcass characteristics and haematology of broiler chickens.Materials and Methods: 63 unsexed day-old broiler chicks were randomly grouped into three treatment groups (Treatments 1, 2 and 3), each consisting of three replicates of seven chicks each. Treatments 1, 2 and 3 were given water from various sources: pipe borne water; borehole water and well water, respectively from day-old to seven weeks of age. The water samples were subjected to physico-chemical and bacteriological analyses.Results: Physico-chemically, only well water had a fair taste, it also had highest turbidity; while borehole water was least turbid. Borehole water had highest total hardness, nitrate, sodium, and calcium. Chloride was higher in borehole water and magnesium was higher in well water; while these were absent in pipe borne water. The study revealed that all water sources were contaminated with bacteria. The well water had the highest bacterial load of 3 21.2×10 cfu/ml, followed by borehole water with 5.8×10 cfu/ml, while pipe borne water recorded least bacterial 2 counts (1.6×10 cfu/ml). Escherichia coli, Klesiella spp and Proteus vulgaris were isolated from pipe borne, borehole and well water, respectively. The water treatments had no significant (p>0.05) effect on broiler chicken's performance, carcass characteristics and haematological indices. However, numerical increase in feed intake and weight gain was observed in birds placed on borehole water (Treatment2). Conclusion:This study suggest that different water sources used as drinking water in this experiment have no significant effect on performance, carcass characteristics and haematology of broiler chicken production in Sokoto metropolis. However, drinking water quality standard for poultry should not be jeopardized.

Assessment of variable drinking water sources used in Egypt on broiler health and welfare

“…The performance parameters (BWT, BWG, FI, WI, WI/FI ratio, and FCR) per week showed no significant difference (p>0.05) among the experimental treatments of broiler chickens supplied with different water sources (Tables- 3 and 4 ). The current result is consistent with several previous studies [ 6 - 9 ].…”

“…Studying the carcass responses in this experiment ( Table-6 and 7 ) revealed that, there was no significant difference (p>0.05) in the relative weights (as a percent of final BWT) of eviscerated carcass and internal organs (liver, spleen and heart), for exception bursa and gizzard among the experimental treatments. The results that are in full agreement with authors [ 7 - 9 ], who reported that the different water sources had no significant effect on carcass characteristics. Birds at (T3) showed the higher eviscerated carcass percentage compared with the other experimental treatments.…”

“…Because no water in nature is 100% pure, and hence different water sources will have varying degree of water inclusions, which directly or indirectly affect poultry performance and welfare. Many authors had studied the drinking water quality constituents and its effect on poultry performance [ 6 - 9 ].…”

Bacterial quality assessment of drinking water for layer chicken managed under battery cage and deep litter systems from Sokoto Metropolis, Nigeria

“…well, pipeborne),improper cleaning and maintenance of drinkers or rearing place, feeds, drugs, faeces ,farmers awareness or education are among the factors that triggers water contamination. Therefore, farmers should be made aware ,and innovative systems of water treatment should be applied, proper cleaning of drinkers and cages or farms are mostly needed in order to safeguard poultry production and public health ( Cunningham,1982;Amaral ,2005;Uwaezuoke and Ogbulie, 2008;Aliyu et al .,2013;Dhaka et al .,2013;Ibitoye et al ., 2013;Elsaidy et al, 2015;Sarkingobir and Sarkingobir, 2017;Sarkingobir et al, 2019).…”

“…E .coli reduces weight of poultry (Elsaidy et al, 2015). E. coli in poultry water was determined by past studies such as Ibitoye et al, (2013) from Sokoto. Aliyu et al, (2012) determined it in diverse poultry feeds in Sokoto.…”