Association between over-chlorinated drinking water and suckling, nursery and fattening pig death losses

Abstract

Following our report on reproductive failure in gilts and sows caused by drinking over-chlorinated water at a pig-breeding farm, the present study investigated the impact of water over-chlorination on the different pig production categories on the farm. Pigs were given over-chlorinated water with a free chlorine residual concentration of 2.11 mg/l for seven days, from the onset of mechanical failure of the chlorinator dispenser connected to the water supplying system until its detection. Data analysis revealed that the adverse effect of over-chlorinated drinking water manifested as an increase in the percentage of death losses in suckling, nursery and fattening pigs (all P < 0.01).

Keywords

• death loss
• pig
• watering
• free chlorine residual