The Effects of Poor Water Quality on Swine Production
When it comes to drinking water, pigs are not particularly different from humans, Fallis pointed out. “You'll drink anything to stay alive, but you like it a lot better when it tastes good and makes you feel good. If you have to drink something that makes you sick, smells, or tastes bad, you're not going to want to drink much at all, just enough to stay alive,” she said. The same is true for your animals.
Aside from reduced water intake due to odor, taste, or temperature, inconsistent or poor water quality can cause a slew of other problems. A big concern for Fallis: Biofilm build-up in waterlines and how this impacts the overall quality of the water. “Having potential contaminants in the water concerns me for many reasons. Biofilm can harbor pathogens and bacteria potentially impacting the efficacy of antibiotics. The buildup of biofilm in the water lines can be contributing to poor performance and health challenges. What we do not know right now is how much of that antibiotic is getting eaten up in the water line before it gets to the pig. This could lead to a perceived drug failure and a re-administration of antibiotics increasing the cost going into those animals, increased labor and time lost getting animals to recover,” Fallis said. “Producers are working with their veterinarians on utilizing the right drug for the right bug at the right time, and often yield less of a result than anticipated. The concern is, are we truthfully getting a therapeutic dose to the animal as expected or are we losing efficacy due to contaminants (biofilm) in the water,” she asked.
The initial financial investment of continuous water sanitation can understandably be a cause for hesitation. “Operations are adding some form of water treatment for one reason or another. I.e.: bleach, chlorine tabs, citric acid, apple cider vinegar with no standardization or measurement of success,” Fallis admits. During her time in the field, she was willing make changes and look at things that had never been considered if it meant helping the pigs and the producer be more successful. Being able to test, monitor, and improve water quality at any time is worth evaluating for your operation. Healthy, good tasting water, that meets the needs of the animal leads to increased water consumption, increased feed intake, and pigs that respond to challenges faster due to reduced pathogen build-up in their environment. Producers dedicate their lives to raising safe pork and take pride in their operations. Considering an opportunity to reduce labor strain, antibiotic use, and increase the number of full value pigs to market is something worth looking at. “Knowing you are providing the highest quality water and regulating a previously unchecked source in your biosecurity plan is something that would make me sleep easier at night,” she said.
