Effects of drinking water sources on performance and carcass indices of broiler chickens

Abstract

Water samples were taken from four different sources (Well, stream, borehole and treated). Chemical and bacteriological analyses of samples carried out to determine, lead, cadmium, manganese, aluminium, sodium, bacteria counts and isolates revealed that mineral elements were significant (P<0.05) among water samples from four different sources except for lead. Apart from the treated water sample; results of the bacteria counts and isolates revealed that the water samples contained some levels of bacteria species (Klebsiella oxytoca, Pseudomonas aeniginosa, Bacillus subtilis, Streptococcus faecalis and Enterobacter cloacae).Then an experiment was carried out to investigate the effects of the water sources on broiler performance and carcass parameters. Except for the birds on the treated water that had significant (P<0.05) weight gain among the water sources, generally, the performance indices were not significantly (P>0.05) affected by the treatments. Carcass parameters were not significantly (P>0.05) affected by the treatments except for the neck. Hence, this investigation tends to reveal that the outcome of the chemical and bacteria analysis of the water samples did not have significant (P>0.05) effect on broilers performance and carcass growth. Therefore, within the limit of this study; in terms of period and location, any of the investigated water samples is good for broiler consumption without any detrimental effect to their wellbeing.