Influence of water restriction on the performance and organ development of young broilers

Abstract

-The experiment was carried out to evaluate the effect of 0%, 10%, 20%, 30%, and 40% water restriction (WR) on broiler performance, behavior, organ development (heart, leg, proventriculus and gizzard, liver, and intestines), and intestinal micrometry. Four hundred and eighty ROSS 308 male broilers were raised in battery cages measuring 0.72 m 2 , from 1 to 21 days of age. Feed was offered ad libitum, and environmental temperatures were kept in thermoneutral conditions. Water intake was estimated based on a control group, two days older than the experimental birds, with same initial weight. A linear reduction on bird performance, duodenal villi height, and fresh organs weight were observed as WR increased. At 21 days of age, for each 1% WR, a weight loss of 8.5 g was observed. However, the mortality rate was not affected by any WR level. Organ weight, relative to body weight, was not affected by WR, except for heart, which weight increased with WR. Villi numbers and crypts depth were not affected by WR. Birds under WR changed their behavior, becoming aggressive and irritated. Electron microscopy data showed higher villi extrusion in WR broilers. In conclusion, WR, regardless its magnitude, should be avoided in broiler production. de vilos e no peso relativo dos orgãos (em relação ao peso corporal), exceto do coração, que aumentou com a restrição de água.Nas aves sob restrição de água, houve maior extrusão dos vilos. Os frangos submetidos à restrição de água alteraram seu comportamento, tornando-se agressivos e irritadiços. A restrição de água, independentemente de sua magnitude, deve ser evitada na criação de frangos de corte.Palavras-chave: água, comportamento, frango de corte, morfologia e histologia duodenal, órgãos

Effects of Water Restriction on the Growth Performance, Carcass Characteristics and Organ Weights of Naked Neck and Ovambo Chickens of Southern Africa

“…The finding that there was a progressive decline in ADFI with increasing severity of water restriction concurs with previous studies that showed that birds reduce their feed intake as an important adaptive strategy to preserve body water by reducing faecal water loss together with reducing body heat increment ( Pires et al, 2007 ; Viola et al, 2009 ). Our results, however, contradict findings of Ahmed and Alamer (2011) , who reported no significant effect of water restriction on feed intake in local Saudi breed layers subjected to 40% water restriction.…”

Risicobeoordeling waterverstrekking aan vleeskuikens en vleeskuikenouderdieren

“…Deze indicatoren zijn benoemd in paragraaf 4.3.5., waarbij ook is aangegeven dat verder onderzoek naar praktisch haalbare indicatoren van belang is. Gesuggereerd wordt dat wanneer er sprake is van waterbeperking er sprake zou zijn van onrust en agressief gedrag bij vleeskuikens (Viola et al, 2009 • De drinknippels (of andere typen drinkers) moeten gemakkelijk bereikbaar zijn, dus bijvoorbeeld de afstand tot de drinkwatervoorziening mag niet belemmerend zijn, dit aspect is met name van belang bij een hoge bezettingsdichtheid (Feddes et al, 2002(Feddes et al, , 2003);…”

“…In dit onderzoek werden vleeskuikens blootgesteld aan verschillende niveaus van waterrestrictie (0-40%) tussen dag 1 en 21. Het bleek dat er wel een effect was op de groei maar dat de mortaliteit niet werd beïnvloed door de waterrestrictie (onder thermoneutrale condities) (Viola et al, 2009). De conclusie van deze onderzoekers was dat waterbeperking bij vleeskuikens ongeacht de mate van beperking moet worden vermeden (Viola et al, 2009).…”

“…Het bleek dat er wel een effect was op de groei maar dat de mortaliteit niet werd beïnvloed door de waterrestrictie (onder thermoneutrale condities) (Viola et al, 2009). De conclusie van deze onderzoekers was dat waterbeperking bij vleeskuikens ongeacht de mate van beperking moet worden vermeden (Viola et al, 2009). Toch is gevonden dat vleeskuikens snel herstellen van waterbeperking in de eerste week wanneer ze normaliter (dus in de rest van hun leven) onder goede omstandigheden gehouden worden (Castro et al, 2009).…”

Assessment of growth performance, immune responses, serum metabolites, and prevalence of leg weakness in broiler chicks submitted to early-age water restriction

“…Any factor influencing water intake will consequently affect feed intake as feed intake is highly related to water intake (Leeson and Summers 2000). Therefore, the restriction of water consumption also decreases feed intake (Viola et al 2009). Early feed restriction has successfully been used by many researchers to lower the early growth rate of broilers and its favorable effects on carcass fat contents, feed efficiency (Nielsen et al 2003;Khetani et al 2009), total mortality (UrdanetaRincon and Leeson 2002), metabolic diseases (Lippens et al 2000), and leg health (Konca et al 2008) are fairly established.…”