Clean Water High Priority

ENSURING PIGS receive enough clean water will become even more important once the ban on antibiotic growth promoters comes into force on Jan 1, 2006.

Water quality for weaned piglets in particular must be given high priority to avoid gut and overall health problems with the change from sow’s milk to drinking water. According to the latest BPEX/MLC Tech Talk briefing, the quality of drinking water from every drinking point should match that of kitchen tap water.

Pigs must have access to clean, fresh water at all times and allow one drinking point for every 10 pigs, it advises. Drinking point position is also key and drinkers should be within easy reach of the smallest and largest pig in each pen.

MLC recommends regular checks on water quality at drinkers and regular investigations of the water storage and delivery system.

This should include cleaning header tanks and replacing leaking or corroded pipes. Header tanks should also have tightly fitting covers to ensure contamination is minimised.