Water pH influence on the performance, blood and carcass indices of broiler chickens

Abstract

This study was carried out to determine the optimum water pH range suitable for optimum performance and wellbeing of broiler chickens. Borehole water with pH of 6.85 was differently basified and acidified with Calcium oxide (CaO) and Citric acid (C₅H₇COOH) respectively to achieve pH levels; 5.5, 6.0, 6.5, 7.0, 7.5, 8.0 and 8.5 as experimental treatments. Two hundred and ten (210) day-old Mashall Broiler-Chicks were used as experimental units. The chicks, with average weight of 55g were randomly assigned into seven treatments of pH levels; T1 (5.5), T2 (6.0), T3 (6.5), T4 (7.0), T5 (7.5), T6 (8.0) and T7 (8.5) with three replicates per treatment. The replicates were of 10 chicks each. The chicks were brooded and raised in equi-dimensional pens (1m x 1m). The birds under each treatment were fed the same commercial broiler starter (22% CP and 2900 kcal/Kg ME) and finisher (18% CP and 2900 kcal/Kg ME) diets and allowed to consume the feed and the waters ad-libitum. The trial lasted 8 weeks, during which the records on average weekly weight gain, average daily water and feed consumption were kept. At the end of the 8 weeks, two birds from each replicate were sacrificed for carcass parameters and blood collected for haematological indices. Birds under pH 6.5 had the highest weight gain (418.75± 8.83g/bird) at week 8 and relatively high weight gain (57.95±3.74g/bird) in week 1 under pH 6.0. Feed intake decreases as the pH increases with highest feed intake (737.50±17.67g/bird) being recorded at week 8 under pH 7.0. Water intake decreases as the pH increases. The least Feed conversion ratio value (1.72±0.03) was at week 8. Organs were significantly influenced by the treatments. This study concluded that pH range of 5.5 to 6.5 as pH range for optimum performance of broiler chickens.