Effects of Drinking Slightly Acidic Electrolytic Water on Growth Performance and Behavior of Broilers

[Objective]The paper was to study the effects of drinking slightly acidic electrolytic water on growth performance and behavior of Rose 308 broilers,and to provide reference for the application of slightly acidic electrolytic water in broiler breeding.[Method]A total of 300 healthy 10-day-old Rose 308 broilers with similar body weight were randomly divided into five groups,three replicates each group,20 broilers each replicate.The broilers in control group were supplied with normal drinking water,and the broilers in experimental groups consumed slightly acidic electrolytic water with 0.3,0.5,0.7,1.0 mg/L residual chlorine,respectively.The test lasted 21 d.[Result]At 10-30 days of age,the water consumption of broilers in 0.7 and 1.0 mg/L electrolytic water groups were increased by 9.27%and 7.67%respectively compared with the control group(M<0.05).The average daily feed intake(ADFI)of broilers in 0.7 and 1.0 mg/L electrolytic water groups were increased compared with the control group(Q0.05).The average daily gain(ADG)of broilers in 0.7 mg/L electrolytic water group was 11.99%lower than that in control group(M<0.05).The feed gain ratio(F/G)of broilers in 0.5 mg/L electrolytic water group was 12.29%lower than that in control group(M<0.05),and the mortality was the lowest in 0.5 mg/L electrolytic water group.The standing,feeding and drinking frequency of broilers in experimental groups were higher than that in control group,and the flapping behavior of broilers in 0.5 mg/L electrolytic water group was the lowest.[Conclusion]Drinking slightly acidic electrolytic water has positive effect on the growth and behavior of broilers.

Effects of high-pressure activated slightly acidic electrolyzed water on cleaning and sterilization of pig transfer vehicles

The establishment of biosafety system is of enormous importance to the livestock and poultry production in terms of mitigating the transmission of diseases and implementing regional prevention and control measures.However,the current sterilization technology presents several drawbacks,including time-consuming procedures,chemical residues,and challenges in treating the sewage after rinsing.In this study,a novel cleaning and sterilization method that combines slightly acidic electrolyzed water and high pressure water-jet was developed.An orthogonal test was conducted to examine the correlation between high-pressure conditions and the various non-structural parameters on the efficacy of sterilization rate.In a field test,the effectiveness of the technology in cleaning pig transfer vehicles was evaluated by the total plate count and variations of community composition.The findings revealed that the combination of process parameters,including an available chlorine concentration of 200 mg/L,rinsing pressure of 170 bar,rinsing duration of 10 s,and residence time of 15 min,resulted in a removal rate of colony concentration on the surface of pig transfer vehicles of(96.50±0.91)%.Moreover,it was demonstrated to effectively inhibit a variety of pathogenic bacteria.The innovative cleaning system has the potential to replace traditional methods and reduces pollution while saving time and labor.It introduces a novel approach for sterilization of transportation in livestock and poultry farms as well as the biosafety construction of the animal husbandry.

Optimization of slightly acidic electrolyzed water spray for airborne culturable bacteria reduction in animal housing

Slightly acidic electrolyzed water(SAEW)spray has been considered as a novel approach for airborne bacteria reduction in animal housing.This study aimed to optimize the operating parameters of SAEW spray based on the size distribution of sprayed aerosols,the available chlorine travelling loss in sprayed aerosols,and the reduction efficiency of airborne culturable bacteria(CB).The optimized operating parameters were the nozzle orifice diameter and the spray pressure.The size distribution characteristics of sprayed SAEW aerosols under different operating parameters were quantified.The pH and available chlorine concentrations of the original SAEW solution and the SAEW aerosols collected at 0 m,0.25 m,0.50 m,0.75 m,and 1.00 m from the spray nozzle head were analyzed.A bioaerosol nebulizing generator was used to simulate animal housing environment in an environmentally-controlled chamber.Six SAEW spray trials under different operating parameters were conducted at a spray dosage of 80 mL/m2 in the chamber.Airborne CB concentrations before and after spray were measured to investigate the reduction efficiency of airborne CB.Dv(50),the volume-based diameter below which 50%of the particle being present,increased with the nozzle orifice diameter and decreased with the spray pressure.The travelling loss of available chlorine in the sprayed SAEW aerosols was greatly dependent on Dv(50).SAEW spray with medium size sprayed aerosols(Dv(50)=86.62μm,67.94μm,and 54.53μm)showed significantly higher airborne CB reduction efficiencies than large(Dv(50)=121.80μm and 96.00μm)or small size aerosols(Dv(50)=42.57μm).The spray operating parameters that provide medium size sprayed aerosols(Dv(50)~60-90μm)are recommended for SAEW spray in animal housing.

Electrolyzed water and its application in animal houses

Electrolyzed water(EW) can be produced by electrolysis of a dilute salt solution. Slightly acidic electrolyzed water(SAEW, p H 5.0–6.5) and neutral electrolyzed water(NEW, p H 6.5–8.5) are considered healthy and environmentally friendly because no hazardous chemicals are added in its production, there is reduced corrosion of surfaces and it minimizes the potential for damage to animal and human health. Over the last decade, EW has become increasingly popular as an alternative disinfectant for decontamination in animal houses. However, there have been some issues related to EW that are not well known, including different mechanisms for generation of SAEW and NEW, and the antimicrobial mechanism of EW. This review covers the definitions of SAEW and NEW, different generation systems for SAEW and NEW, the antimicrobial mechanism of EW, and recent developments related to the application of SAEW and NEW in animal houses.

Heat stress alleviation for dairy cows housed in an open-sided barn by cooling fan and perforated air ducting(PAD)system

Curtain-sided barns with circulation fans above stall are commonly used to house dairy cows in China.Many farms equipped with circulation fans are unable to provide appropriate cooling,especially for the naturally ventilated shed,which can result in decreasing feed intake and milk production.For alleviating heat stress and improving animal comfort,a system consisting of an air cooler and a 30 m perforated air duct(PAD)was integrated to evenly distribute cooling air.The air was cooled by underground water and delivered to targeted zones above stall bed.The system was evaluated in an open sided dairy barn in Tianjin,China.For the stalls equipped with PAD system,air velocity reached above 1.1 m/s at 0.5 m height plane of the stall space,and was more uniformly distributed.Compared to the stalls equipped with circulation fans,the PAD system lowered air temperature by 1.5℃,and increased relative humidity by 8.1%.On average,Temperature Humidity Index(THI)and Equivalent Temperature Index(ETI)were decreased by 0.5 and 0.6,respectively.After a 15 days’operation of the system,rectal temperatures of the treated dairy cows were significantly lowered.The results also showed that the cows under PADs had a higher milk production.These findings suggest the PAD can be an effective cooling alternative for naturally ventilated dairy barns to alleviate heat stress.