How can different seasons affect underground water in Alberta?
Our Expert: Dr. Mohammad Afrouziyeh, Livestock Research Program Officer at RDAR/Animal Nutritionist
Answer
“Seasonal changes can affect the quality of drinking water for poultry. Things like temperature swings, rainfall, and environmental conditions all play a part in how clean and safe the water is. When the seasons change, we usually focus on six key factors: water temperature, pH levels, total dissolved solids (TDS), electrical conductivity (EC), suspended particles, and nutrients. Minerals, hydrocarbons, and industrial chemicals can also impact water quality.
In warmer months, higher temperatures can lead to more growth of microbes and algae, while faster evaporation can increase the concentration of certain minerals in the water. Rainfall, especially if it’s acidic, can pick up harmful chemicals and seep into underground water, making the water unsafe. That’s why it’s important to regularly check the water for things like pH, TDS, EC, and any potential contaminants, especially when the seasons are changing. Monitoring these factors helps ensure the water remains safe and clean for the poultry.”
For more information on this topic, please watch Dr. Afrouziyeh in his Innovation Showcase webinar titled Precautions and Checks for Poultry Drinking Water Quality During Seasonal Transitions. You can find the presentation here.
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Dawn has an MMUS from Northwestern University and worked from 2017 - 2021 as the U of A Heritage Chicken Program Coordinator. With extensive experience as a newspaper and magazine writer and editor, Dawn is the scribe for the PIP team. Duties include transcribing minutes, creating action lists, organizing team ideas and projects, editing, writing articles, and interviewing subjects for the People of Poultry series in the PIP newsletter. Dawn also assists in PIP tech transfer initiatives.
