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Inadequate management of drinking fountains leads to increased breeding costs

Views: 74655 Author: Phoenix Publish Time: 2023-06-09 Origin: Phoenix Poultry Breeding Equipment

As we all know, nipple drinkers are one of the key points of poultry farming equipment, and their management is particularly important. A common factor that makes ventilation difficult and costly in farming practices is poor waterer management. If the poultry water supply system leaks for any reason, the producer loses both in market weight of the birds and in operating costs.

Chickens need a lot of water to grow properly and efficiently, but usually about 1/3 of the water pumped through the drinking system is converted to the live weight of the chicken, and the rest of the water is either retained in the litter or vented out of the house through ventilation. What aspects of poultry drinking system management do farmers and managers need to pay close attention to in order to reduce water wastage? The three most common problems are: leaking nipple drinkers; improper drinking line height; and improper drinking system pressure.

nipple drinker (3)

First, there are many factors that can cause a nipple drinker to leak. After a poultry water supply has been in use for some time, biofilm and contaminants can build up in the drinking lines, reducing the ability of the nipple drinker to deliver water, or even stopping the water flow almost completely without the chickens activating it. Especially when the biofilm is broken, on the one hand, the bacteria enter the poultry body through drinking water, and the bacteria will invade the intestines and multiply, causing enteritis; Backwash it with the backwash system of the water line every day, which can slow down the adsorption of germs on the pipe wall. The water line must be flushed with high-pressure water regularly every week, which can not only flush out the sediment in the pipeline, but also inhibit the generation of biofilm. At the same time, the water quality and water speed must be checked frequently to ensure the normal use of all nipples. When flushing the water line, you can choose some better cleaning agents to scrub the inside of the pipe clean and completely remove the biofilm.

Nipple drinkers can also leak due to wear and tear. Most drinker teats have a service life of 5-10 years. If the teat has a tendency to leak beyond this range of use, then it's time to consider a new teat drinker, cleaning won't fix the wear and tear that comes with age. Filters also need to be changed regularly, and the filter element must be replaced if the drinking water contains contaminants.

Secondly, whether the height of the drinking water system is appropriate. A drinking line that is too high or too low will affect the birds' drinking water and water wastage. The most common problem is that the breeder has not adjusted the height of the water line in a timely and reasonable manner. Now the growth rate of broilers is significantly faster, and the height of the drinking water line changes every day. Therefore, the height of the drinking water system must be adjusted every day. A water line that is too low not only wastes water, but also affects chicken growth performance. A water line that is too high will result in more water wastage as the birds will only be able to peck at the nipple drinker instead of activating it reasonably.

The correct way is to adjust the drinking water line a little bit every day. In addition, the breeder must also monitor the chicken's response to the new nipple height after each adjustment of the drinking line and adjust it again as needed; at the same time, it is necessary to monitor the level of the drinking line and adjust it as needed. Any large depressions in the drinking line or Any bulge can cause water leaks or lack of water in some places. At the age of 1-2 days, the height of the nipples is at the same level as the eyes. During the brooding period, the neck of the poultry is at a 45° angle to the water line, and after it is reared, it is at a 75° angle, so that the water from the nipples can basically flow into the poultry’s mouth instead of the water line. will leak on the litter. The height of the waterline for flat broilers is shown in Figure.

Third, adjust the pressure of the water supply system reasonably. Water pressure, like waterline height, needs to be adjusted frequently. A weekly pressure adjustment is sufficient for most flocks. In general, drinking pressure needs increase as the birds age. However, excessive pressure can promote water wastage and teat leaks. Water is wasted because it is difficult to properly shut off the water flow when the birds touch the teats when the pressure is too high. Too low a pressure will cause the birds to not drink effectively and stay away from the drinkers.

All in all, sound poultry drinking system management takes little time, but can bring considerable benefits. In addition to increased fuel costs, there are costs associated with running the fan longer and removing more of the litter agglomerates.

Loss of growth performance from poor waterer management can also be very costly.

The right environment has always been a key factor in the success of broiler chickens, and drinker management plays an important role in ensuring that the birds grow optimally in the right environment.

Don't let poor drinker management force you to increase ventilation rates, increase de-clumping time, and increase the overall cost of production of your flock during winter.

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Phoenix Breeding Equipment Co., Ltd is a professional manufacturer and exporter that is concerned with the design, development and production of livestock breeding equipment. which can provide all kinds of poultry farm equipment, such as automatic feeding and drinking line, poultry nipple drinker, rabbit nipple drinker, poultry feeder, poultry drinkier, ventilation fan. Cooling pad , egg incubator,pvc pipe ,ss pipe etc. Check out our site to find the latest in poultry equipment. We hope you’ll fine the right products for you,, and how it allows you to scale up to the next level when you’re ready.