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Water Quality
1. The Importance of Water
- Water is essential for life and good health.
- It is the number one nutrient in pork production.
- Lean pork contains 75% water and sow's milk contains 80% water.
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An inadequate supply of water will result in poor pig performance.
Symptoms associated with water intake below the pig's daily requirement include:
- Reduced feed intake
- Poor daily gain
- Poor feed conversion
- More scour problems
- Loss of milk production
- Lower wean weights
- Overall lower digestibility of feed
Given the opportunity, pigs will consume 3-5 parts of water for every 1 part of feed.
There are 3 main aspects of water nutrition that need to be considered in practical pig production:
- Water quality
- Water biosecurity
- Water intake
There are various minerals in water that can have a detrimental effect on water quality. These can be measured and, when necessary, a corrective action imposed. Recommended maximum limits for different minerals and salts are shown below.
| TABLE 1 |
LIMITS OF MINERALS AND IONS IN WATER* |
| MINERAL |
RECOMMENDED MAXIMUM LIMIT (ppm) |
| Calcium |
1000 |
| Iron |
no guideline |
| Magnesium |
400 |
| Manganese |
no guideline |
| Bicarbonate |
1000 |
| Nitrate + Nitrite |
100 |
| Nitrate alone |
10 |
| Sulfates |
1000 |
| Total dissolved solids |
5000 |
| *Taken from Patience, J.F. Swine Nutrition Guide 2nd ed. |
Total Hardness
This is a measure of calcium and magnesium in water. Hard water, over 125 parts per million (PPM), tends to form scales inside pipes which reduces flow rate to the nipple or bowl drinker. Water can be softened by use of an ion-exchange unit which replaces calcium and magnesium with sodium. Total Dissolved Silo's (TDS)
TDS measures the total of all inorganic matter dissolved in water. Under 1000 PPM it is perfectly safe, but over 7000 PPM it is unfit for pigs, and between 1000-7000 PPM some economically relevant losses in performance can occur depending on the mineral present or its chemical form. Iron and Manganese
Iron or manganese in ground water is normally in the soluble form. It is only when pumped to the surface and exposed to oxygen that it is converted to the insoluble form. This precipitation can cause blockage in pipelines and nipples. Iron in water can increase the development of iron bacteria which causes foul odors and blockages. A strong solution of bleach can be used to unblock pipelines, but if this is done it is essential to thoroughly flush the line with clean water before allowing pigs access to the nipples or bowl drinkers. Nitrates
Nitrate is a chemical resulting from fertilizer usage, sewerage, silage effluent and excrete from feed lots, and other geological elements. Nitrate over 100 PPM reduces the amount of oxygen carried in the blood by deducting hemoglobin to methemoglobin and levels over 300 PPM are definitely toxic. Chlorides
Chloride content about 250-500 PPM can impart a "brackish" taste to water which may reduce water intake. pH
This is a measure of the acidic or basic character of water. Results below 7.0 are acidic and above 7.0 are basic or alkaline. Most well water has a pH in the rage 6.5-8.5. High pH values reduce the efficiency of chlorination systems. Low pH values can cause precipitation of some water soluble antibacterial added through water medicators. This can result in medicated water still being given to pigs even after the planned medication program has ceased.
Water may contain a variety of microorganisms and therefore pose a health hazard. Some common pathogenic bacteria found in water are E. Coli, Salmonella species, Vibrio Cholera, Leptospiria species. Protozoa, as well as eggs and cysts of intestinal worms may also be found in water. Chlorination of water is commonly used to improve hygenic quality. A level of 1-3 PPM is the normal target for residual or fee chlorine. Acidification of water may also help improve water quality by modifying the pH outside of the optimum range for bacterial growth. Water consumption of the pig may improve as a consequence of adding citric acid to the water.
| TABLE 2 |
WATER INTAKE* |
| Class of Pig |
Daily Water Intake (gallons) |
Daily Water Intake (Liters) |
| Nursery (wean to 60 lbs.) |
0.7 |
2.7 |
| Grower (60-100 lbs.) |
2-3 |
7.6-11.4 |
| Finisher (100-250 lbs.) |
3-5 |
11.4-19 |
| Non-pregnant gilt |
3 |
11.4 |
| Gestating Sow |
3-6 |
11.4-22.7 |
| Lactating Sow |
2.5-7 |
9.5-26.5 |
| Boar |
5 |
19 |
| *From Pork '96, June issue |
| TABLE 3 |
Factors that Increase or Decrease Water Consumption |
| Increase |
Decrease |
| Hunger |
Cold stress |
| Boredom |
Warm water temperature |
| Heat Stress |
High mineral levels in water |
| Increased dietary minerals |
Bacterial/Algal contaminations |
| Moderate mineral levels in water |
Low flow rate |
| Pelleted feed |
Poor drinker/nipple position |
| High protein in feed |
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Water intake should be encouraged for piglets immediately after weaning and for lactating sows to help stimulate feed intake and maximize milk production and waning weights.
In general, all classes of pigs should have unlimited access to water to satisfy all aspects of animal behavior and welfare. Due consideration must be given to water wastage in terms of cost and effluent storage and disposal when planning water delivery systems.
Flow rate from nipple drinkers has a major impact on water intake and consequently feed intake and pig performance. Recommended minimum flow rates are shown in Table 4 and these should be checked frequently along with full length of the barn and ay plugged nipples cleaned. Water meters measuring water usage for a whole barn are useful but do not take account of wastage and can be inaccurate at low flow rates. They do not give a good figure of water consumption per pig per day.
Dish drinkers have some advantage over nipples and bowls for piglets in farrowing rooms and during the first week in the nursery.
Water temperature can influence water intake. In hot environments, cooler water is preferred, whereas under winter conditions, warmer water will be consumed in greater quantities than icy cold water.
| TABLE 4 |
Recommended Minimum Flow Rates* |
| Class of Pig |
Ounces/Minute |
mL/Minute |
| Nursery (wean to 60 lbs.) |
8 |
250 |
| Grower (60-100 lbs.) |
6 |
500 |
| Finisher (100-250 lbs.) |
24 |
750 |
| Non-pregnant gilt |
32 |
1000 |
| Gestating Sow |
16-32 |
500-1000 |
| Lactating Sow |
32-64 |
1000-2000 |
| Boar |
32 |
1000 |
| *Taken from "Pork '96", June issue; and K.S.U. Swine Nutrition Guide |
For information on obtaining a Water Quality Test Kit, please contact us. -
The Water Quality Test Kit will give you a qualitative result for:
- Total hardness
- Nitrate/Nitrite
- Iron
- pH
- Total chlorine
This will provide you with an initial assessment of the quality of water being given to your pigs. If any result is outside of the normally accepted range, then please contact Omega Nutrition for further nutritional advice.
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