The use of nipple drinkers for brooding, especially in cage systems, offers several advantages over traditional tower-type vacuum waterers. I believe it's important to highlight these benefits and best practices, as follows:
(a) **Water Access**: On the first day of brooding, chicks that fail to drink water promptly may become weak by the second day. With nipple drinkers, special attention must be given during the early stages. To ensure proper hydration, the following steps are recommended:
1. Fill the water cup beneath each nipple with clean water (containing stress-reducing and disease-preventive additives) before the chicks arrive.
2. Once the chicks are placed in the cages, let them rest and adjust to their new environment. Then, teach them to drink by gently holding them and guiding their beaks to the water cup. Each cage should be taught 6–10 times.
3. After the first drinking session, spread feed on the floor or in the feeder tray to encourage eating. Feed the chicks in small amounts, refilling when they’ve eaten about 80%.
4. Thirty to forty minutes after feeding begins, conduct a second round of teaching them to drink. By the third round, the water should flow automatically into the cup when the nipple is pressed. During inspections, observe the chicks closely and isolate those who haven’t drunk water for separate feeding. Continue this process for five days until all chicks learn to drink from the nipples.
5. Adjust the height of the nipple drinkers regularly. The ideal heights are shown in Table 1.
**Table 1: Nipple Drinking Height by Age**
| Age (days) | Nipple Height (cm) |
|------------|---------------------|
| 1–3 | 7–8 |
| 4–7 | 9–10 |
| 8–14 | 13 |
| 15–21 | 16 |
| 22–28 | 19 |
| 29–35 | 21 |
| 36–41 | 23 |
| After 42 | 28 |
(b) **Lighting**: Adequate lighting is essential during the early brooding phase. Chicks need good visibility to locate both food and water sources. The light should be bright enough, especially around the nipple drinkers, where water droplets can attract the chicks.
(c) **Stocking Density**: To ensure all chicks have access to water and feed, the recommended density is 50–55 chicks per square meter.
(d) **Important Considerations**: Compared to traditional tower-type waterers, using nipple drinkers helps save water, reduces labor, and saves space. It also makes the cage cleaner and easier to maintain, which supports better biosecurity. However, some key points should be noted:
1. Connect the cups below the nipple drinkers, as many chicks may not drink directly from the nipples in the first 1–2 days.
2. For the first 1–5 days, always guide the water into the cup to help the chicks learn.
3. Each nipple drinker can accommodate 9–11 chicks up to 28–35 days of age, after which they should be grouped based on the stocking density.
By following these guidelines, farmers can improve chick survival rates, reduce disease risks, and optimize the efficiency of their brooding system.
Food Additives are divided into Food Preservatives and Natural Colorants. Food Preservatives are those that continuously inhibit the growth of microorganisms whose metabolic substrate is spoilage. It is important that it can inhibit the occurrence of the most perishable effects under different conditions, especially when the general sterilization effect is insufficient. Mineral oil, coal tar, and tannin for the preservation of fiber and wood; formaldehyde, mercuric, toluene, butyl p-hydroxybenzoate, nitrofurazone derivatives, or balsam resins for biological specimens. The use of preservatives in food is limited, so some physical methods such as drying and curing are mostly relied on. Special preservatives include organic acids such as acetic acid, vegetable oils with oleic acid as components, mustard seeds, and other special essential oil components. For the local area of the organism (such as the surface of the human body or the digestive tract), various preservatives (such as iodoform, phenyl salicylate, aniline dyes, or acridine pigments, etc.) can be used according to the specific conditions.
Common preservatives include Monohydrate Citric Acid, Sorbic Acid, Sodium benzoate, Xanthan Gum, and Turmeric Curcumin.
Benzoic acid and salt: carbonated beverages, low salt pickles, preserves, wine, fruit wine, soft candy, soy sauce, vinegar, jam, fruit juice drinks, bottled fruit and vegetable juice for the food industry.
Potassium sorbate: In addition to the above, there are fish, meat, eggs, poultry products, fruit and vegetable preservation, collagen casings, jelly, lactic acid bacteria drinks, pastries, fillings, bread, moon cakes, and so on.
Sodium dehydroacetate: beancurd bamboo, pickles, orange juice.
Propyl P-hydroxybenzoate: fruit and vegetable preservation, fruit juice, jam, pastry, egg yolk, carbonated beverage, vinegar, soy sauce
Calcium propionate: wet flour products (cut noodles, wonton skin), bread, vinegar, soy sauce, pastry, soy food.
Sodium diacetate: In various pickles, flours, and doughs.
Sodium lactate: roast meat, ham, sausage, chicken and duck products, and sauce and marinade products.
Lactococcus: canned vegetarian foods, vegetable protein drinks, dairy products, meat products, etc.
Natamycin: cheese, meat products, wine, fruit juice drinks, tea drinks, etc.
Hydrogen peroxide: Fresh-keeping raw milk, and dried bean curd in a bag
Common preservatives include Monohydrate Citric Acid, Sorbic Acid, Sodium benzoate, Xanthan Gum, and Turmeric Curcumin.
Benzoic acid and salt: carbonated beverages, low salt pickles, preserves, wine, fruit wine, soft candy, soy sauce, vinegar, jam, fruit juice drinks, bottled fruit and vegetable juice for the food industry.
Potassium sorbate: In addition to the above, there are fish, meat, eggs, poultry products, fruit and vegetable preservation, collagen casings, jelly, lactic acid bacteria drinks, pastries, fillings, bread, moon cakes, and so on.
Sodium dehydroacetate: beancurd bamboo, pickles, orange juice.
Propyl P-hydroxybenzoate: fruit and vegetable preservation, fruit juice, jam, pastry, egg yolk, carbonated beverage, vinegar, soy sauce
Calcium propionate: wet flour products (cut noodles, wonton skin), bread, vinegar, soy sauce, pastry, soy food.
Sodium diacetate: In various pickles, flours, and doughs.
Sodium lactate: roast meat, ham, sausage, chicken and duck products, and sauce and marinade products.
Lactococcus: canned vegetarian foods, vegetable protein drinks, dairy products, meat products, etc.
Natamycin: cheese, meat products, wine, fruit juice drinks, tea drinks, etc.
Hydrogen peroxide: Fresh-keeping raw milk, and dried bean curd in a bag
Food Preservatives,Sorbic Acid,Sodium benzoate,Xanthan Gum,Monohydrate Citric Acid,Lactic Acid
Shaanxi Changsheng Industrial Co., Ltd. , https://www.cncsbio.com