Performance of commercial broilers offered drinking water with different pH

Water available for commercial poultry production comes from different sources and as such varies markedly with respect to its quality particularly the pH. The pH of water from different sources was estimated and four groups of commercial broilers were offered drinking water having pH 8.5, 6.7 and 7.5 equal to that of river water, bore well/spring water and stream water respectively while control group was offered drinking water available at the university poultry farm (pH 8.2). The results indicated significantly (P<0.05) better performance of the broilers offered water with pH equivalent to 7.5 (T₃) as indicated by lower FCR (1.76±0.04) and higher body weight gain (1338.59±42.34 g) by these birds as compared to those of control group (FCR 1.95±0.01; body weight gain 1215.51±20.87). Similarly, the economic analysis revealed that the feed cost per Kg live weight was also lower (Rs 38.72) in T₃ giving an over all production cost advantage of Rs 4.18 as compared to the control group. It could, therefore, be inferred that other water quality parameters apart, the stream water having a pH of 7.5 was more suitable as a drinking water for commercial as far as performance and economics of production was concerned.