Proper and regular maintenance and cleaning of watering lines is an effective tool against the proliferation of bacteria and helps reduce the incidence of Salmonella spp.. This GP addresses the challenge  of reducing risk of Salmonella, related to Animal Health.

In this farm particular attention was paid to two aspects: cleaning the cups at the end of the cycle and treating the drink water lines almost continuously to remove the limescale and biofilm patina, which is created due to the presence of hard water, which retains bacteria such as E. coli, Pseudomonas, Staphylococci.

The procedure applies in pre-housing (before the animals arrive) and in the first phase of housing (immediately after the animals arrive).

This procedure consists of:
1. Prepare a mixture consisting of:

  - water

  - a product based on citric acid (Agro Clean-Acid) that dissolves limescale at a concentration that allows it to have a pH of 4-5

  - hydrogen peroxide (Intra Hydrocare 2.0) which attacks the organic part, at a concentration of 3% (it can reach 3% if it is the first cleaning operation, while 1% is used for maintenance)

2. Take a container containing this mixture and dip the cups along the line

3. Leave the product to act (e.g. ideally for a whole day) and flush (bleed with high water pressure)

4. At the same time do the treatment with the same products within the watering line

Furthermore, upon the arrival of the animals, hydrogen peroxide (Intra Hydrocare 2.0, up to 250 ppm) is added to the drinking water which slows down the formation of biofilm, favoured by the high environmental temperatures (32-33°C) and by the stagnation of water in the pipes.

Since biofilm retains bacteria and anti-nutritional substances, preventing its formation limits dysmicrobism and the ingestion of contaminated water.

The cost of manpower (1.5 man-days of work per warehouse) is compensated by the reduction of the cost for drugs (0.02-0.03 euros/head).