Salmonella status improved after installing Watter system
Thijs van Eijk runs a pig and poultry farm with his wife Maria and son Koen in Nederweert, Limburg. Within their large farm, which houses 350 sows, 3,200 fattening pigs, and 43,000 laying hens, animal welfare is a crucial aspect. Since 2018, the business has made a significant step forward in this regard.
Clogging in the new water line
“In 2015, we added an extension to the barn, which included a new water line. Despite this new installation, the water line still clogged quickly, sometimes causing blocked nipples. This was due to biofilm,” says Van Eijk. Before discovering Watter, the farm used other disinfection methods. “To keep the water clean, we previously used chlorine dioxide and acids. At some point, the costs started to rise, and I wasn’t completely satisfied with the results. The acid caused the nipples to leak. Through another livestock farmer, I heard about Watter and contacted the company. We ran a six-month trial in 2018 to see if it would work for us. We were pleased with the results, so we decided to keep the system.”
Seeing the system work First-Hand
“After installing the Watter system, we quickly noticed that the water was clean, and the salmonella status of the pigs improved significantly. This has saved us on costs,” Van Eijk explains. “Our salmonella status is currently in the best category. Before using the system, we often had some outliers, but we don’t have that issue anymore.” Van Eijk recalls a notable incident that underscored the effectiveness of the Watter system: “After installing the system, we experienced a brief resurgence of salmonella on the farm. I discovered that a dosing pump of the Watter system had stopped working. This clearly shows that using the Watter system makes a difference and has a positive impact on the health of our pigs. Clean water greatly reduces health problems like these.”
Lower germ count in the chickens' drinking water
“We haven't started systematically disinfecting the drinking water for the chickens yet, but we’ve made a start. A renovation is coming up, so we haven’t installed an extra Watter system just yet,” Thijs explains. When asked how they add the solution to the chickens' drinking water, he responds: “We draw some of the solution from the Watter system, transport it to the chicken barn, and then dose it into the water. For now, it’s a bit of work, but after the renovation, we plan to invest in a second machine.” The addition of the solution to the chickens’ drinking water has proven effective. “We’ve noticed a difference in the chickens as well. The bacterial count in the water used to be quite high, showing that there were a lot of bacteria. Since dosing the solution into the water, the count has dropped significantly, and our measurements show almost no bacteria left in the water,” Thijs states.
The Watter System: Ease of Use and Cost-Saving
“Our antibiotic costs for the animals were always low, partly because we have always focused on water quality. So, we haven’t necessarily saved on animal health costs,” says Thijs. However, he concludes, “The basic principle is to keep the animals’ living environment as optimal as possible, starting with the water. An animal drinks about 2.5 times more than it eats. That’s why we chose to start with water disinfection.” Thijs considers the Watter system an excellent investment. “Compared to our previous disinfection method, the Watter system offers convenience. With the previous method, we had to manually add the chemicals, which was a lot of work. Now, it’s just a matter of refilling the salt in the reservoir, and there’s no need to check it further. When you compare the costs of chlorine dioxide and acids, the purchase cost of the Watter system is quickly recouped.”
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