LPM 221: Commercial Poultry Production and Hatchery Management (1+1)

FACTORS AFFECTING WATER CONSUMPTION

Feed consumption

• Water consumption is highly correlated to the amount of feed consumed by a bird.
• Commercial broilers consumed around 1.61 to 1.91 times to that of feed consumed.

Age

• When age advances, the water consumption also increases, although consumption per unit weight decreases with age.
• For growing pullets, water intake decreases from 0.45 g/g body weight at 1 wk of age to 0.13 at 16 wk of age.

Environmental temperature

• The important way of regulating body temperature by the bird during summer is through evaporative cooling method.
• As birds pant for evaporative cooling of body, water is lost and needs to be replaced in order to maintain the body water balance.
• Water consumption in broilers increases approximately 7 per cent for each ⁰F increase in temperature.

Water temperature

• Any water temperature below the body temperature of the bird will be beneficial during heat stress conditions.
• The water consumed will help to dissipate body heat.
• In commercial operations, however, air speed is the most effective way to keep birds cool.
• Water is difficult to cool significantly and economically.

Electrolytes

• During heat stress, addition of electrolytes not only to replenish those depleted, but also stimulate water consumption and thus have synergistic effect to control mortality.

Lighting programmes

• When operating lighting programmes in a flock, two distinct water consumption peaks can be observed.
• The first peak is just after the lights come on (dawn), and the second is just prior to lights turning off (dusk).
• The water consumption actually starts to drop about an hour prior to the lights turning off.
• This indicates that the birds are anticipating the upcoming dark period and activity in the house has already begun to decline.