Managing poultry water systems for antibiotic-free flocks

Removing antibiotics from the equation makes maintaining a clean water system critical to the health and success of a flock.

Each time a bird drinks, pathogens can enter the water system. Regular cleaning can help protect bird health and prevent disease. | Branex | Dreamstime

Growing flocks without antibiotics creates new challenges for watering birds, too. To protect the health of their flocks and the integrity of their drinkers, poultry growers need to study and apply principals for maintaining a clean water system.

As in other aspects of husbandry, removing antibiotics is exposing flaws that were either unknown or previously thought irrelevant in poultry water systems. On March 13, Mary Katherine Foy, director of technical services for Proxy-Clean Products, spoke about how to maintain clean water lines in an antibiotic-free (ABF) environment. Foy appeared as part of the 2018 Midwest Poultry Federation Convention in Minneapolis.

Roots of the issue

Foy, who previously worked with the University of Arkansas, used to visit farms experiencing persistent disease challenges. Often the growers didn’t consider their water lines as part of their problem, but the majority of the time the disease problem was coming from the water itself.

If the lines are not properly maintained, she said they can become a disease host. This is because pathogens are moving into the water lines each time a bird takes a drink and whenever organic material carrying pathogens lands on the drinker. Foy said growers provide the perfect environment for bacteria to flourish by supplying water, warmth and a food source inside the water line.

Growers often don’t realize there’s an issue until the bacterial colonization is so thorough that it spreads all the way from the drinkers back to the filter. By then, Foy said, it’s too late to do much of anything but clean the water lines out.

Before ABF, antibiotics were depended upon as a “fixer tool” to solve water problems. Now that tool is gone and well-meaning growers are trying new, unfamiliar products to serve the same purpose. The overload of information about the new products – and lofty promises associated with them – makes management of water systems all the more confusing, she said.

Clean lines are critical

In this ABF environment, farmers can best protect the integrity of their water lines and the health of their flock by keeping their system clean. This can be done by creating a two-step water program that establishes a set method for cleaning water lines when the barn is empty and for treating the water when birds are in the barn.

Start at the source: If there’s water issues, the easiest thing to do is check the source of the water. Analysis of the source’s mineral content can be done easily by taking a bottle of water to a testing lab. This helps understand the water profile. After that, determine whether additional filtration is needed. This can be done by simply checking how a new filter looks after two weeks of on-flock production. If the filter’s somewhat dirty, it indicates more filtration may be needed. If it’s significantly dirty, that demonstrates more serious problems. Underground lines feeding the houses shouldn’t be ignored, either. They should be checked for contamination and flushed if dirty.  

Clean when the barn is empty: The most important thing to do, Foy said, is cleaning water lines out while the barn is empty. This enables the use of a stronger solution of what’s used while birds are in the barn or the use of a product designed specifically for cleaning water lines.

Ensure the lines are clean: Cleaning products need to run all the way through the system and remain in the system for the recommended amount of time to work properly. Foy said farmers can ensure the product is all the way through the lines by triggering all the drinkers and looking for indicators of the product’s presence like bubbles. Test strips can also be used to sample the water.

Pick the right cleaning substance: It’s important to choose a product that will clean lines effectively without damaging the system itself. Chlorine and hydrogen peroxide are the most commonly used products.

Chlorine is available in several forms: liquid, gas and chlorine dioxide. The chemical must be used carefully, and both gas and chlorine dioxide require special handling. Those using liquid chlorine should know the chemical can damage rubber components of water systems and that bacteria can grow resistant. Liquid chlorine is effective, and kills the most bacteria, when the water’s pH value is 7 or less. Foy recommended using an alternative product for two flocks if the liquid chlorine product stops working as well as it did in the past.

Several different percentages of hydrogen peroxide, ranging from 20 percent to 50 percent solutions, are on the market. Different mixtures require different usage methods. Some hydrogen peroxide products include additives that increase the active stability of hydrogen peroxide.

Use daily water treatment under certain circumstances: Foy recommended daily water treatments during the following times:

• The first two weeks of a flock: Warm, slow-moving water that’s continuously re-inoculated needs to be treated. Foy said bacteria is present in the highest amounts during this period, and it’s one of the most critical times for treatment. 
• After adding supplements: Clean after adding supplements, including acids, in the water lines.
• After using vaccines: Treat daily for a week after injecting a vaccine through the water line. Additionally, daily treatment should occur whenever probiotics or vaccines are not being injected into the water line.

Don’t rely on filters, water softeners, reverse osmosis or ultraviolet light: Foy cautioned against relying on these devices to clean water. Filters help, but they do not remove all the bacteria in a water line. Water softeners, she said, are not useful for disinfecting water. Reverse osmosis and UV light must be used as part of a water treatment program. They do clean the incoming water, but there is no residual effect as the water goes into the barn.

Know the side effects of supplements

A flood of new products on the market places the onus on both the integrator and the grower to learn what exactly they are putting in their water lines, what makes it work and why that’s helpful for the flock or the system itself. They should also consider the possibility that some products could actually feed bacteria and micro-organisms in the water system.

Probiotics and prebiotics: Both supplements are designed to help stimulate helpful microflora in the gut, but they can also encourage the growth of nuisance micro-organisms. Probiotics are bacteria added to the water line and even though they are helpful, they can grow and cause clogs and other problems. Likewise, probiotics don’t discriminate between bacteria and can help stimulate the growth of bacteria inside the water line.

Essential oils: These products promise a number of benefits, but they are sticky and difficult to clean out of a water system. When used on a short-term basis, the application should be followed by at least a week of water treatment. If not, the sticky substance can block drinkers and bacteria will grow in the film inside the water lines.

Acids: These products are useful for lowering the pH level of the water or enticing birds to eat and drink at feed change, but long-term use of any acid product without water treatment promotes the growth of acidophilic algae, mold, fungus and yeast.

Electrolytes, vitamins and minerals: These supplements designed to help the health of the bird can unintentionally encourage the health and growth of biofilm-forming bacteria. Minerals such as iron, sulfur and magnesium are feeding bacteria as well as the birds. If farmers are using well water, or mineral-rich hard water, they should be cognizant of this factor.