Effect of different sources of drinking water on the growth performance, carcass characteristics, and hematological indices of broiler chickens

Abstract

This present study was conducted to evaluate the implications of different sources of drinking water on growth performance, carcass characteristics, and haematological indices of broilers. Treatments consisted of three different water sources at the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources (CANR), KNUST, Kumasi. Treatment one (T1) was water from a borehole at the Poultry Section of the Department of Animal Science designated as borehole 1, treatment two (T2) was water from another borehole at the Poultry Section of the Department of Animal Science, designated as borehole 2 and treatment three (T3) was tap water from the faculty of Renewable Natural Resources (FRNR). Analysis was conducted on the water samples to determine heavy metal concentration levels in the three sources of drinking water for broilers. A total of 192 Ross 308 broiler day-old chicks were used for the experiment in a Completely Randomized Design (CRD), with three treatments and four replicates per treatment. Sixty-four (64) birds were assigned to each treatment, with 16 birds per replicate. The quantity of feed consumed and water intake were measured daily and averages were calculated weekly for six weeks. At the end of the experiment, blood samples were collected from the wing vein of 12 birds selected randomly, one per replicate for haematological analysis, and two birds were also selected from each replicate for carcass characteristics. Data obtained were analyzed using the General Linear Model procedure of Minitab Version 18. Significant differences between means were set at p<0.05, and differences between treatment means were separated using Tukey’s Studentized Range Test. The results show that the levels of heavy metals were within acceptable range. Growth performance and most of the carcass characteristics were not affected by the three drinking water treatments (p>0.05). Birds on tap water had the highest neck weight compared to those on boreholes 1 and 2 (p<0.05). Birds offered water from boreholes 1 and 2 recorded the highest abdominal fat content as compared to the birds that were given tap water (p<0.05). Haematological indices were not different among broilers from the three treatments (p>0.05). In conclusion, all three drinking water sources used in this study did not have any marked negative effects on the growth performance, carcass characteristics and haematological indices of broilers.