The use of nipple drinkers for brooding in cage systems offers several advantages over traditional tower-type vacuum brooders. In my experience, it's worth summarizing the key points and best practices to ensure successful implementation:
(a) Water Access: On the first day, chicks that don't learn to drink water quickly may become weak by the second day. Using a nipple drinking system requires special attention during the early stages. To avoid dehydration, consider the following steps:
1. Fill the water cup beneath each nipple with clean water (containing stress-reducing agents or disease-prevention medication) before the chicks arrive. This ensures immediate access to water.
2. After placing the chicks in the cages, let them rest for a short period to adjust to their new environment. Then, teach them how to drink. Each cage should be taught 6–10 times. Gently hold the chick and guide its beak toward the water cup.
3. After the initial watering session, spread feed on the floor or in the feeding tray to encourage eating. Feed the chicks in small portions, aiming to keep the feeder about 80% full at all times.
4. Thirty to forty minutes after feeding begins, conduct a second round of teaching the chicks to drink. By the third session, the water should flow into the cup automatically when the nipple is pressed. Regularly check the chicks and isolate those who haven’t drunk water for individual attention. Continue this process for five days until all chicks are accustomed to using the nipple drinkers.
5. Adjust the height of the nipples as the chicks grow. Refer to the table below for guidance:
| 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 |
| >42 | 28 |
(b) Lighting: Sufficient lighting is essential during the early brooding phase. The area where the chicks drink and eat must be well-lit so they can easily locate the water and feed. The light also helps the chicks notice water droplets on the nipple, which acts as a visual cue.
(c) Stocking Density: To ensure every chick has enough space for both food and water, it’s recommended to keep the density at 50–55 chicks per square meter.
(d) Key Considerations: Compared to traditional tower-type waterers, using a nipple drinker system saves water, reduces labor, and takes up less space. It also keeps the cage cleaner, which supports better hygiene and disease prevention. However, some important points should be noted:
1. Connect the cups under the nipples. Most chicks won’t drink from the nipples immediately in the first 1–2 days.
2. From day 1 to day 5, always ensure water flows into the cup for the chicks.
3. Each nipple can serve 9–11 chicks until day 28–35. After that, adjust the groupings based on the stocking density.
By following these guidelines, you can optimize the performance of your nipple drinking system and improve overall chick health and growth.
Food Additives
Food additives a chemical substances added in the food production process to improve the quality, taste, color, freshness, and other characteristics of food. Food additives are widely used in the food processing industry, including beverages, confectionery, bread, meat products, dairy products, canned food, frozen food, etc.
There are many types of food additives, including antioxidants, preservatives, sweeteners, thickeners, emulsifiers, bleaching agents, flavoring agents, etc. These additives can improve the quality and taste of food, making it more delicious and healthy.
Our food additives focus on Natural Sweeteners, Natural Colorants, and Food Preservatives. During the process, they exert their respective skills and bring us a rich and delicious food experience.
Food additives are widely used in all areas of food processing, from beverages to confectionery, from bread to meat products, from dairy products to canned foods, to frozen foods, everywhere. Their existence makes the food not only more attractive in taste, more vivid in color, and more stable in quality, but also makes our life more colorful.
Among the many food additives, we focus on the three categories of natural sweeteners, natural colorants, and food preservatives. Natural sweeteners, such as honey and monkfruit glycosides, add a sweet taste to food with their unique sweet taste, while avoiding the adverse effects of too much sugar on health. Compared with artificial sweeteners, natural sweeteners are more favored by consumers because they can not only satisfy people's love of sweet foods but also be closer to nature and make people eat with peace of mind.
Natural colorants are like putting a beautiful coat on foods, making them more visually appealing. From beet red to anthocyanins, these colors from nature give food a vivid and attractive look. They not only make the food more pleasing to the eye but also let consumers enjoy the delicious taste at the same time, feel the beauty and magic of nature. Compared with synthetic colorants, natural colorants are safer and more reliable and do not pose a potential threat to human health.
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Food Additives,Psyllium Husk Powder,Table Stevia Sweetener Powder
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