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01998Applied Poultly Science, Inc.
ROOSTERS COOL
PREFER DRINKING
WATER IN BOTH
SUMMER AND WINTER
A. ALLAN DEGEN' and MICIIAEL KAM
Desert Animal Adaptations and Husbandy, Jacob Blaustein Institute for Desert Research,
Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer Sheva 84105, Israel
PhonefFM: (972) 7-6460515
E-mail: degen@bgumail.bgu.ac.il
Primary Audience: Nutritionists, Physiologists, Flock Managers
perature [l,41, heat production, and respira-
OF PROBLEM rate [l,5 were reduced in chickens main-
DESCRIPTION tory 1
Extreme air temperatures can stress tained at high a r temperatures but offered
i
poultry and have a detrimental effect on their cooled drinking water. Cooled water, how-
production. At high air temperatures, chick- ever, did not alwaysyield better results. Layers
ens have a lower growth rate, produce fewer increased food consumption and egg pro-
eggs, and have a higher mortality than non- duction [3,6], improved egg shell quality [7,8],
stressed birds [l, 21. These birds increase
and had a decreased mortality [9]. However,
water consumption, panting rate, and body
temperature, but decrease food intake. An air Damron [' found that egg mass was reduced
7l
temperature of even 27"C, when chronic, can in White Leghorns receiving cooled water.
reduce egg production [ ] Some studies have
3. Broilers grew faster [lo] and increased
shown that the consumption of cooled drink- gain/feed ratio [ll]when offered cooled water
ing water could alleviate heat stress. Body tem- at high air temperatures; however, White Rock
1 To whom correspondence should be addressed
Research Report
DEGEN and KAM 259
broilers showed no difference in either body food trough were available in each cage. Food
mass or egg production [12]. and water were provided at 08:00 hr each day
At low air temperatures, chickens have and water was provided on a second occasion
increased maintenance energy requirements at 1400 hr. Each water container had 500 mL
and decreased growth rate [l, 13, 141. Con- capacity and birds had access to the water for
sumption of warm water at low air tempera- 45 min each time. The remaining water in each
tures may have a favorable effect as, based on container was then measured. Birds were
immunological measurements, chickens pro- given 5 days to acclimate to these conditions,
vided with warm water in winter appeared to during which time tap water was provided in
be less stressed than controls [ l q . Moreover, both water containers. Thereafter, cooled
consumption of cooled water would require water at approximately 8°Cwas offered in one
energy to raise the water temperature to body of the water containers and tap water in the
temperature. This would increase energy re- other for 10 days. The container holding the
quirements of the buds. cooled water w s chosen by systematic ran-
a
The Negev Desert is characterized by dom selection; this container subsequently
hot, dry summers in which air temperatures held cooled water. Water temperature was
can exceed 40°C and cool winters in which measured when offered and when removed
air temperatures can drop below 0°C. We and the mean temperature is presented.
assumed that the consumption of cool water In winter, seven roosters were similarly
in summer and warm water in winter would treated but were offered warm water at ap-
reduce environmentalstress in chickens raised proximately 30°C and tap water.
in this area and therefore predicted that, given
a choice, roosters would choose cool over ANALYSIS OF DATA
warm water in summer and warm over cool A paired t-test was used to compare
water in winter. morning and afternoon water intakes within
seasons [ 161. We chose P < .05 as the minimum
MATERIALS METHODS
AND acceptable level of si&icance. Results are
presented as means f SD.
MAINTENANCE OF ROOSTERS
Tk.0 trials were conducted at a research
station in the northern Negev Desert, Israel,
RESULTS DISCUSSION
AND
3 5 km north of Beer Sheva. Measurements
. Mean minimum and maximum air tem-
were made during July-August 1994, the peratures in summer were 17-Cl"C and
hottest summer months, and January- 34irl"C, respectively, and in winter were
February 1995, the coldest winter months. 521°C and 14+.1"C, respectively. Tap and
Mean minimum and maximum air tempera- cooled water temperatures in summer were
tures were recorded daily. 25°C and 8"C, respectively, and tap and
Cornish roosters, approximately 50 wk of warmed water temperatures in winter were
age in summer and 30 wk of age in winter, were 12°C and 30"C,respectively (Table 1).
used in this study. The roosters were main- Body mass of the roosters remained con-
tained on hard-packed ground in an open- stant during the measurement period w t i ihn
sided chicken house with natural daylight. In each season and averaged 5.3 kg in summer
summer, five birds were caged individually and 3.5 kg in winter (Table 2). Total water con-
and offered near-maintenance concentrate sumption per day was 0.117 mL/g in summer
feed. ?kro insulated water containers and one and 0.113 mL/g in winter. No difference was
TABLE 1. Mean (+ SD) air and water temDeratures durina summer and winter
SUMMER WINTER
Morning Afternoon Morning Afternoon
Air temperature ("C) 27+5 3423 8+3 14+2
Tapwater temperature ("C) 2427 2.527 8k2 15+2
Cooled water temperature ("C) 7+1 8+1
Warmed water temperature ("C) 29+2 313
JAPR
260 DRINKING WATER TEMPERATURE
3rd day, roosters consumed 93% of their water
as cool water in summer and 86% as cool (tap)
SUMMER WINTER water in winter. After the 3rd day, cool water
Number of 5 7 constituted about 71 to 89% of the roosters'
roosters total intake in summer and 85 to 95% of their
miss (kg) 5.3k0.3 3520.2 total intake in winter. Roosters consumed the
Water intake 622k95 396f103 same proportion of water of each temperature
(mL*d- ) in the morning and the afternoon (Figures 1
(mL*6'*d-'l 0.117k0.095 0.113f 0.028 and 2).
We predicted that roosters, when given a
choice, would select cool over warm water in
summer and warm over cool water in winter.
Results from this study did not wholly support
found between morning and afternoon water our predictions, as the roosters preferred the
intakes in summer, but water intake was signif- relatively cool water in both seasons. We chose
icantly higher in the afternoon than in the a water temperature of 30"C, or slightly above,
in winter as chickens drank most water at a
morning i winter (Table 2).
n
temperature of 30 or 40°C when offered water
The roosters exhibited similar patterns of
ranging from 0 to 45°C [lq.Offering water at
water temperature selection in summer and 45°C resulted in a significant decrease in
winter. In both seasons, roosters consumed intake. The water temperature of about 8°C
approximately equal portions of each water was chosen in summer as it had been reported
temperature during the first 2 days and in the that broilers readily drank water of 10°C and
morning of the 3rd day. In the afternoon of the I their performance was improved [ll].
I00
I
yl
1
m
- .
y-e
r
0
20
40
n
V I
r -
I 2 3 6 9 10
Time (days)
FIGURE 1. Cool water as a percentage of daily (bars), morning (squares),and afternoon (circles) water intakes
in five broiler breeder roosters during summer when offered a choice of tap and cool water
Research Report
DEGEN and KAM 261
It is not clear why the roosters preferred drinking water of 10°C, eggs of good shell
cooler water in both seasons. Benefits of quality were produced [18]. Moreover, it is
cooled water in summer have been widely dis- not clear why 2.5 days elapsed before a choice
cussed [2, 8, 1 1 However, few studies have
1. of water temperature was made. The roosters
been done on water temperature consumption generally drank from both containers during
by chickens in winter. It has been reported that the acclimation period; consequently, we ex-
in winter warm drinking water of 30°C had pected that any preference for water temper-
detrimental effects on shell quality, but with ature would appear almost immediately.
100
80 --
r
60
40
--
.-
--
m
7
L
20 --
0 -
1 2 3 4 5 7 8
Time (days)
FIGURE 2. Tap water as a percentage of daily (bars), morning (squares), and afternoon (circles) water intakes
in seven broiler breeder roosters during winter when offered a choice of tap and warm water
CONCLUSIONS
ANDAPPLICATIONS
1. Roosters were able to satisfy their water needs when water was offered once in the morning
and once in the afternoon, each time for 45 min.
2. In summer, the total volume of water drank in the morning did not differ from that in the
afternoon, but in winter the roosters drank more in the afternoon than in the morning.
3. Roosters preferred cool drinking water to warm drinking water in both summer and winter.
4. Selection of a water temperature was made in the afternoon of the 3rd day. At that time,
cool water comprised 93% of the intake in summer and 86% in winter.
JAPR
262 DRINKING WATER TEMPERATURE
REFERENCESNOTES
AND
1. van Kampen, M., 1981. Thermal influences on 12. Degen, k k ,M. Kam, and A. Rosenstrauch, 1992.
poultry. Pages 131-147 in: Environmental Aspects Effect of restricted cooled drinkinewater on the Derfor-
of Housin for Animal Production. J.A. Clark, ed. m&e of broiler breeder hens i'l a hot, dry &mate.
Buttemrtfs, London, England. Br. Poultry S i . 33917-924.
2. Deaton, J.W., 1983. Alleviation of heat stress for 13. van Kampen, M., 1982. Role of hysiology in
avian egg roduction - A review. World's Poultry Sci. J. the tropics. Pa es 240-256 in: Animal Profuction in the
39210-21f Tropics. M.K. fousef, ed. Praeger Publishers,NewYork,
3. Leeson, S. and J.D. Summers, 1975. Cool water NY.
d u m heat stress results in more eggs. Poultry Digest
34368-370. 14. Spinu, M. and A.A. Degen, 1993. Effect of cold
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4. Wilson, W.O. and W.A. Edwards,1952. Response and White Leghorn hens. Br. Poultry lci. 34:177-185.
a"'
of hens' thermal stress to h ration and chilled dnnking
water. Amer. J. Physiol. 16 902-107. 15. Spinu, M., A.A. Degen, a n d k Rosenstrauch, 1993.
5. van Kampen, M., 1988. Effects of drinking water Wect of warm drinking water on the performance and
immunological responses of broiler breeder hens raised
7.
temperature and le cooling on heat stress of laying hens
( W d o m e s t l N s J. "her. Biol. 134347. at low air temperatures. Br. Poultry Sci. 34361-366.
6 . Janssen, W.M.M.A. and N A Mnsharaf, 1984.
.. 16. S o w RR and FJ. Roblf, 1973. Introduction to
Effects of water temperature and feed density on the Biostatistics W.H. Freeman, San Francisco, CA.
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E g e s 1-12 in: Proc. Intl. Poultry Conf.,Frankfurt, 17. Gentle, MJ., 1979. Effects of water temperature
Germany. on short-term water intake and medullary neuronal
responses in the hen. Br. Poultry Sci. 20533-539.
7. Damron, B.L, 1991. Cooling of drinking water for
laying hens. Poultry Sci. 702368-2370. 18. Glatz, P., 1996. Warm drinking water for hens in
8. Roberts, J.R, 1996. Cooled water tempers heat winter has a detrimental effect on shell quality. Pig and
stress. Poultry Intl. 35(10):3638. Poultry Production Institute Research and Extension
Highlights 1996,University of Adelaide, South Australia.
9. Miller, P C and M.L Sunde, 1975. The effect of
..
precise constant and cyclic environments on shell quality
and other lay performance factors with leghorn pullets. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Poultry S i . 54:3646. We thank Abdullah Abou-Rachbahand Ido Feldberg
10. Harris, G.C., G.S. Nelson, RL Seay, and W.H. for maintenance of the birds and David Galili and Mario
Dodgen, 1975. Effects of drinking water temperature on Taliansky of Kibbutz Shuval for providing the roosters
broiler performance.Poultry Sci. 54775-779. and concentrate feed. Helpful suggestions on statistics
were provided by Roger Ben'amin and Sam Mendlinger
11. Bekcr, A. and RG. Teeter, 1994. Drinking water and on the manuscript by darina Spinu, &diu Spinu,
temperature and potassium chloride supplementation and Avi Rosenstrauch. The studywas supported by grant
effects on broiler body temperature and erformance number 857-0130 from the Israeli Ministryof Agriculture,
during heat stress. J. Appl. Poultry Res. 381)-92. Division of Poultry.
