December 1, 2005
Forum Bioscience develops Aqualution® water system for poultry
According to the UK's Food Standards Agency (FSA), Campylobacter is the single biggest cause of food-borne illness in the country.
But by not testing water for pathogens at the point of drinking, poultry producers are potentially missing major sources of infection, explained Nick Meakin of Forum Bioscience.
"When using drinkers, poultry unavoidably introduce microbes into the water system," says Mr Meakin. "Water which is clean at source or in the anteroom may have a very high microbial content by the time it's presented to the birds in the shed."
An innovative new water-treatment system is one possible solution to the problem. It would produce potable and non-toxic water that exhibits incredible biocidal qualities - a fundamental development for on-farm hygiene and food safety.
Developed by Forum Bioscience for use in the poultry industry, the Aqualution® system is a specialised electrolysis unit, producing activated water containing a very small amount of chlorine and high concentrations of dissolved oxygen. A small amount of the drinking water is treated (3-5 percent) and then returned to the water supply.
"When testing conventional water at the point of drinking, it can be contaminated with anything from 10,000 cfu/ml to 1,000,000 cfu/ml - the measure of the number of micro-organisms in the water."
"To put this in context, some vets become concerned with contamination levels at 200 cfu/ml, although most suggest a maximum of 1000 cfu/ml," Mr Meakin pointed out.
He added that conventional chemicals could not be used at sufficiently high concentrations to eliminate this problem, without potentially causing harm to the birds.
Indeed, the FSA's Second Report on Campylobacter stated that the addition of chlorine or ozone to poultry drinking water would likely be beneficial in the control of the problematic pathogen, but warned that caution should be exercised when using these chemicals, particularly ozone, as the compound could be toxic.
Independent testing has shown that Aqualution-treated water satisfies the British Disinfectant Standard against a range of problematic pathogens, including Pseudomonas, E.coli, Salmonella and Campylobacter. It is also effective against many viruses including avian influenza, and is notified under the EU Biocidal Products Directive.
"Results from large-scale on-farm trials of the system show that microbial load can be completely removed from the entire drinking water system," reported Mr Meakin.
In addition to the welfare and food safety benefits, the system could also make a big difference to end-profits.
"Extensive trial results show that for meat production, a combination of reduced bird mortality, increased growth rates and better food conversion can be achieved. In layers and breeders, there is also greater egg and chick yield."
Introducing Aqualution®
Aqualution® is a groundbreaking innovation for the poultry industry, with major benefits for the environment, animal welfare, food safety and the producer's bottom line.
It is a novel, safe biocide, which provides clean drinking water at the point of consumption. It is completely harmless to plants and animals but is lethal to simple organisms such as bacteria, fungi and viruses.
Quick facts
- To date, there have been 56 on-farm installations of the Aqualution system
- 30 million birds have been reared using Aqualution treated water
- Aqualution is fully compliant with Biocidal Products Directive EU 98/8
- Meets the British Disinfectant Standard against a wide range of problematic pathogens, including Campylobacter, Pseudomonas and E. coli
- Far superior efficacy compared with conventional biocides
- Aqualution has a significantly lower environmental impact than conventional biocide
The technology
Aqualution is a specialised electrolysis unit. It treats locally available water, either from a mains supply or borehole, and the water is subjected to a combination of electrolysis and ion exchange. The treated water is a potable and non-toxic biocide, containing a very small amount of chlorine and high concentrations of dissolved oxygen. The biocide is added to the main water line at low volumes (3-5 percent), controlled using a dosing unit.
Productivity
Farm productivity increases with Aqualution through a combination of lower bird mortality, increased growth rates and better feed conversion rates. This is backed by extensive trials data and on-farm results.
Animal welfare
Eliminating bacteria from poultry drinking water removes a major source of potential infection. This can reduce the requirement for medication, and its associated costs.
Furthermore, Aqualution is fully compatible with medications and vitamins administered in water, with the exception of vaccines.
Food safety
The safety of poultry meat and eggs is of major concern to consumers. As a result, research has concentrated on identifying and controlling hazards at all stages of the supply chain.
Studies have demonstrated that clean drinking water is an important factor in reducing farm-level Campylobacter contamination in poultry. Aqualution is effective against Campylobacter and other common pathogens.
The non-medicinal nature of Aqualution reduces the risk of medicinal residues in meat.Development of bacterial resistance to on-farm use of anti-microbial products may also be prevented.
Current products
When used at sufficiently high levels to completely control common pathogens in drinking water, chlorine products are harmful to birds. Health and safety concerns have also led to chlorine and its derivatives coming under threat from EU regulations and consumer pressure.
In contrast, Aqualution is fully compliant with all relevant regulations and has a significantly lower environmental profile than conventional biocides.Aqualution eliminates any need for existing water sanitation products to be used during the crop and also at turnaround. This yields further savings and simplifies drinking water management procedures.
Figure 2. On-farm data showing drinking water tested for micro-organisms on day 1 and day 25 of a crop.
Aqualution® - frequently asked questions
Q. Why should poultry producers be concerned about drinking water hygiene?
A. On-farm control of pathogens such as Campylobacter is of utmost importance for food safety and consumer confidence in British-produced poultry. Eliminating pathogens from drinking water using Aqualution removes one potential source of infection and can also boost producers' bottom line.
Q. Is Aqualution an approved, registered biocide?
A. Yes, it complies fully with the requirements of the Biocidal Products Directive EU 98/8.
Q. How good is its efficacy?
A. Independent testing has shown that Aqualution meets the British Disinfectant Standard against Pseudomonas, E-coli, Salmonella, Campylobacter and avian influenza.
Q. Is Aqualution compatible with water-administered vaccines?
A. The Aqualution system must be turned off twelve hours before and after any live vaccine is administered through the water system.
Q. What about medications such as Vetremox?
A. Aqualution has no effect on medications, and can continue running while they are administered.
Q. And vitamins and minerals?
A. Aqualution is also fully compatible with vitamins and minerals.
Q. Is it safe to handle?
A. Yes, Aqualution shows no harmful effects except to simple organisms such as bacteria, fungi and viruses.
Q. Are there any health and safety implications at all?
A. There are no special health and safety requirements when handling Aqualution, or when running the system.
Q. What about impact on the environment?
A. As supplied to the birds, Aqualution can be classed as potable water and, unlike alternative water hygiene products, the system has a very low environmental profile. There are no harmful chemicals to handle and store, nor any problems regarding the disposal of Aqualution-treated water after use.
Q. What equipment is required?
A. The system consists of three main components: a water softening unit, the Aqualution generator and a dosing unit. All components are compact and robust and, when installed, can be housed in a space as modest as a small garden shed.
Q. Is one dosing unit enough, or do farmers need a unit for each shed?
A. Either system can work, although it is much more cost-effective to use a single, centralised dosing unit.
Q. What does it cost?
A. The units are assembled according to individual farm requirements, so price depends on the specification.
Q. Is the system easy to manage?
A. Salt levels need to be monitored and topped up if required, but that is all. The system has been developed to require minimal input on-farm, making water management incredibly easy.
Q. What about running costs?
A. Negligible. The whole system uses less than GBP40 in electricity each year. All maintenance costs are included in the price of the system and the cost of the salt can also be included in the package.
Q. What if it goes wrong?
A. The system is very reliable but, for added peace-of-mind, the unit allows remote monitoring of the system, with the raising of an alarm in the event of a fault. There is a dedicated help line and a 24 hour call-out, should farms encounter any problems.
Q. What about the bio-security issues of engineers visiting poultry units?
A. In nine out of 10 instances, problems can be rectified remotely. Farm visits are therefore infrequent and only take place when absolutely necessary. When visiting farms, engineers follow all recommended bio-security procedures.
Q. How do farmers know if it is working?
A. Regular microbiological Total Viable Count (TVC) testing is included to monitor the levels of micro-organisms in the drinking water. Also supplied is a testing kit for self-verification by the farmer.
Q. If productivity increases with Aqualution, what return can a poultry producer expect?
A. Birds given Aqualution can be significantly more profitable. This extra return comes about through a combination of lower mortality rates, more efficient food use and increased growth rates.
Q. Is it suitable for all types of poultry production?
A. Yes. Aqualution is suitable for chicken and turkey systems and can safely and effectively treat water for broiler producers, egg production and chick production.
Q. Is it compatible with water from boreholes?
A. Yes. Aqualution can be used with both mains water and borehole water. Even water containing iron, magnesium, calcium or sulphates can be conditioned for use with Aqualution.
Q. What about farmers using mains water?
A. Mains water is, by its nature, very clean, but it has no biocidal qualities. This means it must be treated in the same way as borehole water to ensure that it stays clean and pathogen-free through to the last drinker in the shed.
Q. Should farmers invest in a borehole?
A. Installing a borehole is a very good, cost-effective idea. It will reduce water bills to zero and Aqualution will ensure it is clean at the point of drinking.
Q. Do water lines still need to be cleaned with an acid wash between crops?
A. No, as Aqualution prevents the contamination of water lines, there is no need to flush between crops. Aqualution also prevents the build up of limescale and bio-film, extending the life of drinking water systems. While acid washes are not necessary for drinking water lines, all other routine house sanitation procedures should still be followed.
About Forum Bioscience
Founded in 1981, Forum started as a distributor of life science ingredients to the pharmaceutical, food, feed and health products industries. Since then, Forum has expanded its skill base across the life sciences value chain.
Today, Forum Bioscience is a diverse life science group that adds value to the life science industries through:
- Sourcing and marketing of ingredients and finished products
- Product Life Cycle Management
- Consulting across the life sciences value chain
- Bringing customers to clients concepts
The Forum Group is made up of Forum Products Ltd, Britannia Pharmaceuticals and Britannia Health Products Limited.
Through its companies, Forum Bioscience has maintained a steady increase in turnover and profit since the early 80s, and currently has a turnover in excess of GBP120 million, with over 120 employees, and now specialises in sales, marketing, product development, registration and distribution of products to its chosen industries.
For further information, please contact:
Nick Meakin, Forum Bioscience
Tel: +44-01737-773711
Mobile: +44-07850-852209
E-mail: runcton@aol.com
Tom Ritchie, Forum Bioscience
Tel: +44-01737-773711
Mobile: +44-07799-714121
E-mail: tom.ritchie@forumgroup.co.uk
Helen Brothwell, Pharo Communications
Tel: +44-02476-696721
Mobile: +44-07789-697183
E-mail: helenbrothwell@pharoweb.co.uk
For further information about Forum, its companies, products and services, please visit www.forum.co.uk
