Drinking Water Salinity in Poultry Farms – A Global Review and Lessons Learned for Iraq (2025)
Dr. Majed Hamed Al Saegh / poultry pathologist / Australia
28/7/2025
In recent years, drinking water quality has become one of the most significant challenges facing poultry farms, especially in areas suffering from freshwater scarcity. Iraq is no exception. In many areas of the country, such as Basra, Muthanna, and parts of Anbar and Diyala, poultry farms rely primarily on well water, which often contains varying levels of salinity. With declining reliance on river or tap water in some areas, farmers are turning to saline groundwater to meet their daily needs. However, this shift raises serious questions about the impact of water salinity on poultry health and productivity.
Salinity is commonly measured by what is known as “total dissolved solids,” or TDS, which represents the sum of salts and minerals dissolved in water, such as sodium, chloride, bicarbonate, and sulfate. While some of these minerals are beneficial in moderate amounts, exceeding a certain level can be harmful, especially in sensitive animals like poultry. Birds, especially young chicks, do not have the ability to excrete large amounts of sodium, making them susceptible to osmotic stress and water imbalance disturbances.
International guidelines vary in detail, but they agree on one core principle. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), drinking water containing less than 1,000 parts per million (ppm) of TDS is considered excellent for poultry, while water containing 1,000 to 2,500 ppm can be used with caution, especially for older birds and under good management. Water above 3,000 ppm is generally considered unsuitable, particularly for broiler chickens in the early stages of growth. These standards are also endorsed by the US National Research Council (NRC), and are adopted by Australia and Canada in their poultry-rearing guidelines.
In Australia, for example, where some arid regions suffer from salinity, veterinary authorities recommend that sodium concentrations in drinking water not exceed 200 mg/L and chloride not exceed 250 mg/L. Exceeding these values has been shown to lead to increased water consumption, increased litter wetness, reduced feed conversion efficiency, and reduced shell quality in laying hens. These effects are not limited to health concerns; they also have economic implications, as wet litter increases the likelihood of foot infections and respiratory problems, negatively impacting production and yield.
In our Arab region, an important study was published in Egypt in 2024 in the Egyptian Poultry Science Journal. The study was conducted in Beni Suef, an arid agricultural region whose climate and water conditions are similar to those of many parts of Iraq. Researchers tested the effect of saline well water containing 3,100 parts per million (ppm) of TDS on the performance of broiler chickens. The results showed that birds that drank this water continuously showed clear signs of liver damage, including elevated ALT and AST enzymes, decreased total protein and albumin levels, and decreased T3 levels, which reflects thyroid activity. Interestingly, birds that drank only saline water after 18 days of age, or that alternated it with fresh water weekly, were much less affected and displayed near-normal performance. These results confirm that using saline water is not necessarily disastrous, provided the timing and method of its administration are carefully controlled.
Moving to South Asia, where poultry farms are prevalent in environments dependent on saline groundwater, studies conducted in India and Pakistan have shown similar results. In India, researchers found that drinking water containing approximately 2,200 parts per million (ppm) of TDS moderately affected egg production in laying hens, especially when exposed for long periods. Adding vitamins C and E as antioxidants to feed also reduced the effects of salinity stress. In Pakistan, a study from the Poultry Research Institute showed that exposure of broiler chickens to water containing more than 3,000 ppm of dissolved salts resulted in significantly impaired growth and increased mortality, especially in conditions of high temperatures that increase water consumption and, consequently, salt intake.
Globally, developed countries are pursuing various strategies to address water salinity, including the use of reverse osmosis (RO) desalination plants. However, these technologies remain expensive and unsuitable for the majority of small and medium-sized farms in Iraq. Therefore, simpler and more realistic solutions can be implemented locally, such as mixing brackish well water with fresh water when available, or collecting and storing rainwater for use during the chick stage. Another successful strategy, proven effective in the Egyptian study, is weekly rotation between brackish and fresh water, a simple method that requires no additional equipment.
In practice, poultry farmers in Iraq should avoid using saltwater completely during the first two weeks of a bird’s life, the most sensitive period. After that, this water can be used judiciously, especially if the birds are supplemented with nutritional supplements such as vitamin C or probiotics to improve stress resistance. It is also important that water testing using portable TDS devices becomes a standard practice on every farm, as the harmful effects are not always obvious, but rather accumulate silently over time.
In conclusion, international experience clearly demonstrates that the salinity of drinking water is a real challenge to poultry health and production. However, with smart management, good planning, and appropriate nutritional support, farms can adapt and continue production even under challenging water conditions. For Iraq, experiences from Egypt, Australia, and South Asia provide a clear roadmap for addressing this issue in practical and effective ways.
