Hostname: page-component-7b7567c8c-7pwfn Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2026-11-15T05:38:27.556Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Water consumption in broiler chicken: a welfare indicator

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  14 March 2007

L. MANNING,
S.A. CHADD and
R.N. BAINES
L. MANNING*
Affiliation:
Royal Agricultural College, Cirencester, UK
S.A. CHADD
Affiliation:
Royal Agricultural College, Cirencester, UK
R.N. BAINES
Affiliation:
Royal Agricultural College, Cirencester, UK
*
*Corresponding author: l.manning@btinternet.com
Get access

Abstract

The aim of the study was to analyse water consumption data of commercially grown broiler chicken in order to ascertain whether:

  1. i) the results obtained correlated with those reported in other studies;

  2. ii) water consumption can be objectively used as a measure of bird health and welfare; and

  3. iii) there is a correlation between total water consumed, reject levels and the incidence of contact dermatitis.

Water consumption has been analysed in terms of litres/bird/cycle, and litres/bird/day. In order to determine the impact of water consumption on the moisture content of the litter the water usage was also analysed in terms of litres/m2 of floor area/cycle and litres/m2 of floor area/day which take into account the stocking density of the birds. The results indicated that whilst water consumption in l/m2 of floor area per crop cycle is potentially a beneficial lag indicator, l/bird/day or l/m2/day could be lead indicators which relate to bird health and the impact of water consumption on litter quality. More research should be undertaken to determine whether there is a direct relationship between changes in observed versus expected daily water consumption and health issues such as enteritis and contact dermatitis. This research should define the threshold level of water usage at which there is a resultant impact on litter quality in terms of daily use per unit of floor area. This may be influenced by the stocking density, ventilation profile and the degree of absorbency of the litter material but the value would provide managers with a “trigger-point” at which they need to take action to minimise the resultant impact on air quality in terms of ammonia levels and the potential for contact dermatitis.

Keywords

water consumptionpoultryindicatorwelfareperformance

Information

Type
Review Article
Information
World's Poultry Science Journal , Volume 63 , Issue 1 , March 2007, pp. 63 - 71
Copyright
Copyright © World's Poultry Science Association 2007

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

Article purchase

Temporarily unavailable

References

ACP (2006) Assured Chicken Production Standards 2005–2006.Google Scholar
ANDERSON, A. and MCADAM, R. (2004) A critique of benchmarking and performance measurement. Benchmarking: An International Journal Vol 11, No 5, 2004, pp. 465–483.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
BERG, C.C. (1998) Foot-Pad dermatitis in broilers and turkeys – prevalence, risk factors and prevention. Acta Universitatis Agriculturae Sueciae Veterinaria 36, SLU, Skara, Sweden ISBN 91-576-5442-5.Google Scholar
BROADBENT, L. and PATTISON, M. (2003) Winter ventilation – minimum ventilation for good air quality. Poultry World, November 2003.Google Scholar
BUTCHER, G.D., JACOB, J.P. and MATHER, F.B. (1999) Common poultry diseases. Fact Sheet PS-47 University of Florida, May 1999.Google Scholar
CORNELISON, J.M., HANCOCK, A.G., WILLIAMS, A.G., DAVIS, L.B., ALLEN, N.L. and WATKINS, S.E. (2005) Evaluation of nipple drinkers and the Lott system for determining appropriate water flow for broilers. Avian Advice University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture 7(3): 001–004.Google Scholar
DAWKINS, M.S., DONNELLY, C.A. and JONES, T.A. (2004) Chicken welfare is influenced more by housing conditions than by stocking density. Nature 427: 342–344.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
DEFRA (2002) Meat chickens and breeding chickens. Code of recommendations for the welfare of livestock, PB7275.Google Scholar
GEORGIA (2001) Water usage and broiler performance. The University of Georgia – Cooperative Extension Service, College of Agriculture and Environmental Science. April 2001 Vol 13, No 5.Google Scholar
GOAN, H.C., BURCHAM, P.H., DENTON, P.H. and DRAUGHON, F.A. (1992) Quality of well water on Tennessee poultry farms. Poultry Science 71: 103.Google Scholar
JAFARI, R.A., FAZLARA, A. and GOVAHI, M. (2006) An investigation into Salmonella and faecal coliform contamination of drinking water in broiler farms in Iran. International Journal of Poultry Science 5(5): 491–493.Google Scholar
JORDAN, F.T.W., PATTISON, M., et al. (1996) Poultry Diseases, 4th Edition. W.B. Saunders Company Ltd. London.Google Scholar
LOTT, B.D., DOZIER, W.A., SIMMONS, J.D. and ROUSH, W.B. (2003) Water flow rates in commercial broiler houses. Poultry Science 82(Suppl. 1): 102.Google Scholar
MANNING, L., CHADD, S.A. and BAINES, R.N. (2007) Key health and welfare indicators for broiler production. World's Poultry Science Journal 63: 47–62.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
MANNING, L., CHADD, S.A. and BAINES, R.N. (2006) Key Indicators for Broiler Welfare and Performance. Accepted for publication by the World Poultry Science Journal September 2006.Google Scholar
MARKS, H.L. (1987) Water and feed intake, feed efficiency, and abdominal fat levels of dwarf and normal chickens selected under different water:feed ratio environments. Poultry Science 66: 1895.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
MARKS, H.L. and PESTI, G.M. (1984) The roles of protein level and diet form in water consumption and abdominal fat pad deposition of broilers. Poultry Science 63: 1617–1625.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
MAY, J.D., LOTT, B.D. and SIMMONS, J.D. (2000) The effect of air velocity on broiler performance and feed and water consumption Poultry Science 79: 1396–1400.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
PATTISON, M. (2002) Some clinical and pathological features of enteritis in broilers – observations on treatment in the UK. The Elanco Global Enteritis Symposium July 9–11 2002.Google Scholar
ROSS (1999) Ross Broiler Management Manual. Ross Breeders, November 1999,Google Scholar
SCAHAW (2000) European Commission – Scientific Committee on Animal Health and Welfare 2000. The Welfare of Chickens Kept for Meat Production (Broilers) European Commission, Brussels, Belgium Adopted 21 March 2000.Google Scholar
SEI (2003) Indicators of environmental and sustainable development. Stockholm Environmental Institute November 2004. Accessible at www.sei.se/policy/INDIC.pdf.Google Scholar
SINGLETON, R. (2004) Hot weather broiler and breeder management. Asian Poultry Magazine, September 2002 pp 26–29.Google Scholar
VIEIRA, S.L. and LIMA, I.L. (2005) Live performance, water intake and excreta characteristics of broilers fed all vegetable diets based on corn and soybean meal. International Journal of Poultry Science 4(6): 365–368.Google Scholar