1. One thousand Silver Grey Hyline hens were given drinking water containing 5 concentrations of added sodium fluoride (0, 6, 10, 14 and 20 mg/l) over a 17-week growth and 57-week laying period. The natural fluoride content of the water was 0.21 mg/l during the growing period and 0.29 mg/l throughout lay. 2. During the rearing phase, efficiency of food utilisation and mortality were not significantly affected by the fluoride concentration of the water. Weight gain and food intake decreased in the 10 and 14 mg/l fluoride treatments. 3. During the laying period, the fluoride content of the water had a significant effect on egg production, but eggshell breaking strength was not significantly influenced. 4. Post mortem analyses, carried out at the end of lay (74 weeks of age), showed that carcase weight and the fluoride content of the os femur increased significantly as the fluoride concentration in the water increased; the increase in bone fluoride followed a linear pattern. 5. Histopathology showed no evidence of changes in the livers or kidneys; liver weights and breaking strength of the os femur were unaffected by the amount of fluoride consumed. 6. The data showed that under commercial conditions, laying birds can tolerate ingesting 4.453 mg fluoride/day for up to 74 weeks.
Water quality constituents ingested through drinking water can affect the animal's physiology negatively and, through bioaccumulation in tissues, pose a biohazard to consumers. The study evaluated the effectiveness of a total dissolved solid (TDS) treatment as a possible alleviator of the accumulation of potentially hazardous chemical constituents (PHCC) in drinking water in broiler tissues. The trial design was 4 treatments x 7 replicates x 12 mixed Ross broilers per replicate. Treatments were T1 = TDS (NaCl) <500 mg/L + Br, As, Pb < 0.005 mg/L, T2 = TDS <500 mg/L + Br, As, Pb 0.1 mg/L, T3 = TDS 1500 mg/L + Br, As, Pb < 0.005 mg/L, T4 = TDS 1500 mg/L + Br, As, Pb 0.1 mg/L, administered through the drinking water from Days 1 to 42. Water intake and growth performance were recorded. Broilers were slaughtered, samples taken of liver, kidney, heart, thigh and breast tissue and analysed for accumulation of elements. TDS significantly (P <0.05) effected the accumulation of elements in some tissues. This confirmed the risk of ingesting PHCC through drinking water, and showed the potential of reducing the risk of accumulating PHCC in selected tissues by the controlled application of TDS in drinking water. However, the concentration attained within a short production period did not exceed the maximum allowable concentration for these elements in broiler tissue destined for human consumption.
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