Effects of different salinity levels in drinking water on growth of broiler chickens

F N Ondoi, M K Afutu, S Lamptey

Abstract




During breaks in supply of treated water, farmers turn to surface and underground sources such as wells and boreholes. Though seemingly wholesome, such water usually contains dissolved salts of various kinds that may affect productivity in poultry and other farm livestock. Fifteen 2-week-old, imported broiler hybrid chicks were fed a common ration, but offered drinking water from one of three sources for 21 days to investigate any effects of water quality on productivity. Three treatments (water source), each with five replicates (individually penned birds), were tested in a completely randomised designed experiment. The treatments were (i) water from the tap (TAP), (ii) water from first borehole (B1), and (iii) water from second borehole (B2). The birds were raised in battery cages, offered water and feed ad libitum, and weighed weekly. Water samples from the three sources were analyzed weekly for quality (i.e., conductivity, salinity, dissolved oxygen, pH, and total dissolved solids). Mean water salinity levels were 0.00, 0.70 and 3.80 per cent for TAP, B1 and B2, respectively. Water treatment had no significant effects (P>0.05) on feed intake (110.8, 95.3 and 106.1 g bird-1 day-1), weight gain (45.0, 43.6 and 43.0 g bird-1 day-1), feed conversion ratio (46.8, 50.0 and 47.2%), and final weight of birds after 21 days (1.33, 1.30 and 1.32 kg) for TAP, B1 and B2, respectively. Water intake by birds was, however, significantly (Pe poulets á rôtir importés etaient nourris de ration commune, mais offerts l\'eau potable de l\'une de trois sources pour 21 jours, pour examiner l\'effet quelconque de la qualité d\'eau sur la productivité. Trois traitements (source d\'eau), chacune avec cinq répétitions (des oiseaux séparément parqués) étaient mis à l\'essai dans une expérience de dessin complètement randomisée. Les traitements étaient (i) l\'eau de robinet (ROB), (ii) l\'eau du trou de sonde (TS1), et (iii) l\'eau du deuxième trou de sonde (TS2). Les oiseaux étaient élevés en batteries, offerts l\'eau et nourris ad libitum et pesés chaque semaine. Les échantillons d\'eau de trois sources étaient analysés chaque semaine pour vérifier la qualité (c.-á-d. conductivité, salinité, oxygène dissous, pH et solides totaux dissous). Les niveaux moyens de salinité d\'eau étaient 0.00, 0.70 et 3.80% respectivement pour ROB, TS1 et TS2. Le traitement d\'eau n\'avait aucun effet considérable (P>0.05) sur la consommation alimentaire (110.8, 95.3 et 106.1 g par volaille par jour), le gain de poids (45.0, 43.6 et 43.0 g par volaille par jour), la proportion de conversion alimentaire (46.8, 50.0 et 47.2%) et le poids final de volailles après 21 jours (1.33, 1.30 et 1.32 kg), respectivement pour ROB, TS1 et TS2. La consommation d\'eau par les oiseaux était, cependant, considérablement (P

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Ghana Journal of Agricultural Science.   ISSN: 0855-0042