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08/10/2024
It is difficult to imagine the normal functioning of the human and animal body without water. That's why it makes perfect sense that piglets' health depends on round-the-clock access to water of proper quality at all stages of rearing. Providing animals with quality water allows them to properly maintain their health, growth, and development.
If piglets are not provided with proper nutrition and access to quality water, there is a high risk of developing health and productivity problems. How do you organize proper watering? What factors should be taken into account? Read more about this in our article.
Why is water quality critical for piglets?
Water is a very important mineral for animals. Without it, piglets can die within a few days, and this is because water is involved in a large number of physiological processes. It is a vehicle for hormones, nutrients, and metabolic products and digested feed in the digestive tract. In addition, water is actively involved in regulating animal body temperature, amino acid balance, and is an integral element of many important chemical reactions.
That's why piglet rearing should always include watering the animals with water of the proper quality. Maintaining the right water balance for pigs has the following benefits:
- Positive impact on animal health. High-quality water in drinkers will prevent the development of various infectious diseases and diseases of the gastrointestinal tract.
- Providing the animal's body with essential minerals. It is important that the water animals receive is saturated with nutrients. This will help maintain their health and immunity at a high level.
- Prevent dehydration of animals. Regular access to clean and high-quality water helps maintain proper water balance, which is very important for the growth and development of pigs.
The quality of drinking water for pigs is important to monitor constantly. Only this approach will allow you to grow a healthy animal with strong immunity.
How to organize proper piglet feeding?
Almost 85% of the body weight of a newborn piglet and 55% of the body weight of a fattening adult is water. To meet the needs of the body, pigs of any age should receive water from three main sources:
- drinking water
- feed
- metabolic process.
Researchers from the Canadian Prairie Pig Center have shown that animals need 2.2-2.8 times more water than feed. However, the amount of water that piglets and adult pigs need varies depending on different aspects:
- Higher demand: hunger, heat stress, boredom, mineral requirements, consumption of pelleted feed and synthetic lysine, etc.
- Lesser need: warm water, stress from lower temperatures in the pigsty, high mineral content in the liquid.
If the temperature in the pigsty rises to 30°C, the animal consumes 2 times more liquid. Sick animals need more water than healthy animals, especially if they suffer from diarrhea or fever.
It is critically important that pigs have free access to water troughs throughout the year, as restrictions can have negative consequences: from reduced feed intake to overheating and death. That is why it is important to follow the following rules when organizing piglet watering:
- Regular access to quality water. Animals should have access to fresh water of proper quality at any time of the day.
- Maintaining cleanliness. It is necessary to clean drinkers regularly, as this helps prevent the development of harmful bacteria and infections.
- Careful control of water temperature. The liquid in the drinkers should be at the right temperature so as not to cause stress in the piglets.
By following these rules, you can maintain an optimal water balance in the animal's body, improve their health, and improve their immunity.
What factors influence the choice of drinkers for piglets?
Watering piglets involves the use of special drinkers that will provide the animals with round-the-clock access to fresh water. When choosing such accessories, we recommend paying attention to the following characteristics:
- Size. The drinker should be selected according to the number of animals. This will ensure that all pigs have access to water at the same time.
- Type. Today, there are different types of drinkers that can be used to properly raise piglets. The most popular and suitable for farms are mechanical and automatic variations.
- Features of care. We recommend giving preference to the type of products that are easy to clean and maintain.
Properly selected drinkers will help farm owners organize the correct watering of animals, taking into account all the necessary rules and regulations.
Tips for maintaining piglet health through quality water supply
Water quality for piglets is a very important factor in maintaining animal health, productivity and development in accordance with international standards. Here are some tips to help you establish water management on your farm:
- Regular water analysis. It is necessary to check the water quality to avoid harmful impurities and contaminants.
- Use of filters. It is worth installing filters that will effectively purify water from harmful components.
- Control the water consumption of piglets. Keep a record that will allow you to detect animal health problems in a timely manner at an early stage.
- Immediately repair drinkers and eliminate water leaks. This will not only prevent dirt and bacteria from entering the water, but also save money due to water losses.
Proper water supply remains the main factor in the successful raising of healthy piglets today. Keeping the water clean and following all the rules of watering allows you to provide piglets with optimal conditions for growth and development.
08/10/2024
