The quality of the water used in poultry produciton is important, not only for the metabolism and well-being of the birds but also when the water is used for vaccination.
In the table below some reference values are given for several parameters in drinking water. The table is based on publications by the Royal Animal Health Institute in Deventer, the Netherlands. www.gdanimalhealth.com
|
Parameter |
Unit |
Good |
Poor |
|
pH |
5 to 8 |
< 4 or >9 |
|
|
Ammonium |
mg/l |
<1 |
>2 |
|
Nitrite |
mg/l |
<0,1 |
>1,0 |
|
Nitrate |
mg/l |
<100 |
>200 |
|
Chloride |
mg/l |
<200 |
>300 |
|
Sodium |
mg/l |
<100 |
>200 (young birds) >400 (adult birds) |
|
Iron |
mg/l |
<0,5 |
>2,5 |
|
Manganese |
mg/l |
<0,5 |
>1,0 |
|
Sulfate |
mg/l |
<100 |
>250 |
|
Hardness |
oD |
>4 and <15 |
>20 |
|
Yeasts and fungi |
>10.000 |
||
|
E.coli |
CFU/ml |
<10 |
>100 |
|
Total colony count |
CFU/ml |
<10.000 |
>100.000 |