Effect of bromine and iodine in drinking water on production parameters of broilers

Abstract

Levels of bromine (Br) in groundwater that exceeded guideline concentrations of 0.01 mg/L prompted the investigation of the effect Br and iodine (I) in drinking water on the production parameters of broilers. The research was done over a 42-day growth period, post-hatch, in which the trial design was: Control: 0 mg Br/L and 0 mg I/L; 1 mg Br/L and 0 mg I/L; 3 mg Br/L and 0 mg I/L; 0 mg Br/L and 0.7 mg I/L; 1 mg Br/L and 0.7 mg I/L; 3 mg Br/L and 0.7 mg I/L, by 3 replicates with 30 birds/replicate, using mixed Ross broiler chickens. Br and I were administered as NaBr and KI. Mortalities, water and feed intakes were recorded daily and live weight once a week. Average daily gains and feed conversion rations were calculated. Different treatments of Br, irrespective of I, decreased water and feed intake significantly. The interaction of Br and I had no significant effect on intake of water or feed. I had an effective ameliorating effect on Br. Bromine administered at 1 and 3 mg Br/L or at ingestion rates of 1.59 and 4.44 mg Br/day affected production parameters. © South African Society for Animal Science.