title: Relevance of water quality to broiler and turkey performance.
abstract: Water was tested from 300 broiler farms in Arkansas in cooperation with three integrated poultry companies, each having at least two locations in the state. The turkey study was conducted in cooperation with three integrated turkey companies with samples from 100 turkey farms, although the numbers were not equal among companies. Performance criteria collected were body weight, feed conversion, livability, and condemnation. In the overall analysis in the broiler study, nitrate had a detrimental effect on performance. Calcium was negatively correlated with adjusted conversion; i.e., conversion improved as calcium increased. Magnesium was positively correlated with adjusted conversion, or had an adverse effect on conversion. Dissolved oxygen, bicarbonate, hardness, calcium, and magnesium were all positively correlated with adjusted weight but nitrate was negatively correlated with adjusted weight. Calcium and potassium were negatively correlated with livability and calcium and nitrate were positively correlated with condemnation. The bacterial results showed no significant difference between top and bottom producers for either Pseudomonas or Escherichia coli. In the turkey study, calcium, magnesium, bicarbonate, hardness, and aggressive index were beneficial to feed conversion. Phosphate and ammonia were detrimental to feed conversion. Calcium, magnesium, dissolved oxygen, zinc, hardness, and aggressive index were all positively correlated with adjusted body weight. Magnesium was negatively correlated with livability. Magnesium and aggressive index were positively correlated with condemnation and potassium, zinc, nitrate, and phosphate were negatively correlated with condemnation. Although fewer farms were involved in the turkey study, the results generally support the results of the broiler study.
authors.affiliation: University of Arkansas, Fayetteville 72701, USA.
authors.forename: T L
authors.initials: TL
authors.lastname: Barton
mesh_terms: D000822:Animal Husbandry; D000818:Animals; D001639:Bicarbonates / Q000032:analysis; D001835:Body Weight / Q000502:physiology; D002118:Calcium / Q000032:analysis; D002645:Chickens / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000502:physiology; D004326:Drinking / Q000502:physiology; D008274:Magnesium / Q000032:analysis; D010100:Oxygen / Q000032:analysis; D014422:Turkeys / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000502:physiology; D014867:Water / Q000032:analysis; D014871:Water Microbiology; D014881:Water Supply / Q000592:standards*
chemical_list: D001639:Bicarbonates; D014867:Water; D008274:Magnesium; D010100:Oxygen; D002118:Calcium