Water is one of the lowest input costs for poultry, but it also can have one of the most significant impacts on yield. Researchers at the University of Georgia found that broilers consume about 1.6 to 2.0 times more water than feed on a weight basis. The scientists in that study linked quality water consumption to healthy nutrient transportation, chemical and enzymatic reactions, and body temperature regulation.
Poultry Technical Consultant
Elanco Animal Health
Water is one of the most important and underutilized tools in maintaining poultry health. Yet, an alarming number of producers around the world do not provide their flocks with clean water, which opens the door to multiple risks, including illness, dehydration and, ultimately, lower yields. Producers that invest in sanitized water by using chlorine dioxide can increase flock yield and profits.
Maximizing yields has always been a key priority for poultry producers, but it recently has become even more critical for two notable reasons: rising production costs and muted demand. Stubborn, elevated inflation around the world continues to impact profit margins negatively. Feed costs are expected to drop, yet other operating costs remain high, further pressuring profit margins.
On the demand side, global poultry prices1 have declined substantially since the COVID-19 pandemic and are close to mid-2018 levels. Meanwhile, global production is expected to rise a scant 1% in 2023 and improve a modest 2% in 2024, according to estimates from Rabobank2.
In some of the world’s largest markets, however, production is forecast to lag those growth rates. For 2024, the U.S. Department of Agriculture forecasts poultry consumption growth of 0.5%. With growth anemic, producers are searching for cost-effective ways to lower costs and increase output.
THE IMPORTANCE OF WATER AND YIELD MANAGEMENT
Poultry yield management, like nearly all forms of livestock production, involves monitoring and adjusting a wide range of variables, such as health status, nutrition, housing/barn temperature, ventilation and water. Each plays an invaluable role in achieving an animal’s weight potential and improving the bottom line.
Water is one of the lowest input costs for poultry, but it also can have one of the most significant impacts on yield. Researchers at the University of Georgia found that broilers consume about 1.6 to 2.0 times more water than feed3 on a weight basis. The scientists in that study linked quality water consumption to healthy nutrient transportation, chemical and enzymatic reactions, and body temperature regulation. Quality water has a positive effect on bird health and yield, including:
• Reduced mortality rate
• Lower medication cost
• Decreased feed conversion ratio
• More consistent weight
LIMITATIONS OF OTHER WATER SANITIZERS
Producers have several options to treat water. Those range from doing nothing to adding chemicals, such as chlorine, hydrogen peroxide and chlorine dioxide. Chlorine is by far the cheapest, but it has its drawbacks. For example:
• Using chlorine typically requires using two metering systems, resulting in higher equipment costs
• The liquid barrels containing the chemical are more difficult to handle operationally
• Chlorine can require more effort to monitor system accuracy (pH, ORP)
• Holding residuals can be a problem as the product weakens
• The chemical can be more corrosive than other options
Hydrogen peroxide, another frequently used sanitizer, also has limitations, including:
• The liquid barrels containing the chemical are more difficult to handle
• It is harder to measure residuals
• Hydrogen peroxide is corrosive to equipment
• The additive is a non-selective pathogen killer
• Loses effectiveness quickly
• The additive has a narrower pH range, which lowers effectiveness
WHY CHLORINE DIOXIDE IS THE RIGHT CHOICE
Chlorine dioxide is not the lowest-cost option available, which can limit its appeal as a water sanitizer. It does, however, offer several benefits. The disinfectant has been approved by many food safety regulatory agencies around the world. That approval gives producers the flexibility to use the sanitizer in various ways, such as disinfecting hard surfaces in barns and heat and cooling systems.
As a sanitizer, chlorine dioxide over time has evolved into a key tool to increase live performance for the following reasons:
• Decreased bacterial load
• The sanitizer improves water odor and taste, which encourages birds to drink more
• Water consumption has a direct correlation to improved bird body weight, growth and feed conversion
• The chemical is an antibiotic-free tool to maintain bird health, which is good for producers operating in markets that are moving toward “No Antibiotics Ever” (NAE) and “No Antibiotics Important to Human Medicine” (NAIHM)
Where chlorine dioxide also excels is in its efficacy to reduce salmonella contamination. One study4 found that chlorine dioxide, when used in conjunction with ultrasound, was able to inactivate salmonella and E. coli.
EFFECTIVENESS OF CHLORINE DIOXIDE
Additional research comparing the efficacy of chlorine dioxide to sodium chlorite showed that chlorine dioxide of 1 PPM in water had salmonella growth only to 1.0 x 103 cfu/ml, with a 99.999% reduction in salmonella5. The non-treated control group ranged from 5.86 x 107 cfu/ml to 1.08 x 108 cfu/ml.
Here’s the bottom line: Chlorine dioxide, which has been called an ideal biocide and oxidizer, has been around for a long time. Recent innovations have enhanced its delivery effectiveness. Using chlorine dioxide to provide high-quality, sanitary drinking water for your flock can help you mitigate costly losses.
References
1International Monetary Fund, Global price of Poultry, retrieved from FRED, Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis. Accessed 2/1/23. <https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/PPOULTUSDM>.
2“Poultry Quarterly Q4 2023: Market Growth Recovers as Ongoing Challenges Start to Ease.” October 2023. RaboResearch. Accessed 2/1/24. <https://research.rabobank.com/far/en/sectors/animal-protein/poultry-quarterly-q4-2023.html>.
3Fairchild, B. and Ritz, C. 2009. “Poultry drinking water primer.” University of Georgia. Accessed 2/1/24. <https://extension.uga.edu/publications/detail.html?number=B1301&title=poultry-drinking-water-primer>.
4Rossi, A., Kalschne, D.L. & Byler, A.P.I. 2021. “Effect of ultrasound and chlorine dioxide on Salmonella Typhimurium and Escherichia coli inactivation in poultry chiller tank water.” Ultrasonics Sonochemistry. 80. 105815.
5Ollis, N., Hofacre, C. & Baxter, V. 2022. “A laboratory evaluation of a tablet chlorine dioxide (Dutrion) to stabilized sodium chlorite in reducing Salmonella enteritidis in drinker lines.” 2022 International poultry Scientific Forum Abstracts. Accessed 2/1/24. <https://poultryscience.org/files/galleries/2022_IPSF_Abstracts.pdf>
About Chet Wiernusz
Chet Wiernusz, Ph.D. is a poultry technical consultant with Elanco Animal Health. His areas of expertise are in applied nutrition for poultry with a specialized expertise in broilers and broiler breeders, enzymes and nutritional health products.
