Importance of water in poultry

Abstract

In poultry industry should be given to water the same importance that is given to other factors such as facilities, feeding and management. Poultry production require large amounts of water for their development and welfare. Besides water for drinking, must also consider water as an input for the management of vaccination, cleaning, thermal control environment and disinfection of equipment and facilities. Several variables affect water consumption, including genetics, animal age, sex, ambient temperature, water temperature, the relative humidity and nutritional composition. Water is indispensable for life, because of the functions it plays in metabolism, so it is of fundamental importance to the rational use of water of good quality physical, chemical and microbiological. Because birds do not have sweat glands to aid in heat dissipation, the consumption of cold water is the alternative that these animals have to lower body temperature in situations of heat stress. It is undisputed that when the bird has water availability of adequate quality and quantity, this will present a performance improvement.