Effect of iodine-treated water on the performance and some behavioral patterns of meat-strain chicks

ABSTRACT

Some behavioral patterns [ingestive, body care and comfort] as well as the performance of meat-strain chicks which received iodine treated water for 49 days were investigated. A total of 150 one-day old Arbor Acres chicks, which were divided into 3 equal groups [1, 2 and 3] each of 50 chicks were used. Chicks of group 1 which received water treated with 10 ppm active iodine showed good ingestive behavior represented by high feeding [42.4%], drinking [38.8%]. The length of feeding time elapsed [82.8 seconds/bird], and consequently the high body weight gain was 1634 g and feed efficiency was 0.443. At the same time, a marked increase in comfort, resting, sleeping and body preening behaviors were observed in comparison with chicks in group 2 that received water treated with 25 ppm active iodine which showed the least marked increase in body weight gain [141 g] and feed efficiency [0.387], while birds in control group [group 3] which received non- iodine treated water showed a high feeding [40.8%], ground pecking [18.2%], sleeping [22.1%] and body preening [32.5%] with consequently moderate feeding efficiency utilization [0.418]. Iodine treated water increased the concentration of hemoglobin and erythrocytic count, without a significant difference observed between the three groups. In conclusion, the addition of iodine in drinking water [10 ppm] can significantly affect and improve the behavior of maintenance, and act as a good growth promoting factor represented by increase in both body weight gain and feed efficiency