Water intake behavior of broiler chickens exposed to heat stress and drinking from bell or and nipple drinkers

Abstract

The aspects involved in broiler water intake are not well known, despite the importance of water in animal nutrition and physiology. Water intake behavior should be taken into account when deciding on different types of drinkers. Bell and nipple drinkers are the most commonly used in commercial broiler production. Broilers were housed in cages equipped with two different drinker types and raised at two different environmental temperatures (25 and 34 ºC) to evaluate water intake behavior and volume. Broiler water intake behavior was influenced by drinker type. Birds visited bell drinkers less often, but presented higher total water intake per visit to the drinker as compared to those drinking from nipple drinkers. The results of this study suggest that both broilers drinking behavior and water intake volume should be taken into account when deciding on drinker type to equip broiler houses

Effects of Outdoor Access and Indoor Stocking Density on Behaviour and Stress in Broilers in the Subhumid Tropics

“…Bell-type drinkers and initial tray feeders were provided. Bell-type drinkers were chosen over others since they provide a higher water availability and promote natural drinking behaviour [28]. Lighting program was 24L:0D for the first seven days.…”

Hsp70 Genotypes and Heat Tolerance of Commercial and Native Chickens Reared in Hot and Humid Conditions

“…In the poultry industry, heat stress is responsible for the morbidity and mortality of one million broilers per month (Guerreiro et al, 2004). Several recent reports show that heat stress adversely affects feed intake (Cooper & Washburn, 1998), water intake (Bruno et al, 2011), growth performance (Altan et al, 2000;Abu-Dieyeh, 2006), blood variables (Altan et al, 2000;Aengwanich, 2007), electrolytes (Borges et al, 2004), and the immune system (Zulkifli et al, 2000b;Mashaly et al, 2004;Tirawattanawanich et al, 2011), increasing mortality (AlFataftah et al, 2007).The optimal temperature range for commercial broilers is about 21-26 o C (Ewing et al, 1999), and a temperature of 32 o C causes heat stress (Daghir, 1995).…”

Risicobeoordeling waterverstrekking aan vleeskuikens en vleeskuikenouderdieren

“…De wateropname van vleeskuikens wordt beïnvloedt door het type drinker (ronddrinker vs. nippel drinker, zie ook hoofdstuk 3); vleeskuikens bezoeken de ronddrinkers minder vaak, maar hebben een grotere waterconsumptie per bezoek vergeleken met drinknippels (Bruno et al, 2011). Bij ronddrinkers, gebruikt bij vleeskuikenouderdieren, werd een grotere verspilling van water gevonden waardoor het strooisel natter werd (Colvero et al, 2014).…”