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Water medication: How low water consumption affects medication results

Upon medicating water, the doses should be repeated with a time interval that prevents plasma levels from dropping below the minimum effective concentration and exceeding the toxic concentration.

The dosage of medicines must be carefully calculated in order to reach the plasma levels necessary to produce a therapeutic effect. This therapeutic or effective dose is found between the minimum effective dose and the maximum effective dose. Upon medicating water, the doses should be repeated with a time interval that prevents plasma levels from dropping below the minimum effective concentration and exceeding the toxic concentration.

Figure 1. Left chart: Plasma concentrations after administering a therapeutic dose (blue line), a sub therapeutic dose (black line) and a toxic dose (orange line). Right chart: Administration of repeated doses of a drug with a time interval that prevents plasma levels from dropping below the minimum effective concentration (blue line).
Figure 1. Left chart: Plasma concentrations after administering a therapeutic dose (blue line), a sub therapeutic dose (black line) and a toxic dose (orange line). Right chart: Administration of repeated doses of a drug with a time interval that prevents plasma levels from dropping below the minimum effective concentration (blue line).

There are several things that can cause plasma levels to drop below the minimum effective concentration: Error upon calculating the necessary dose, characteristics intrinsic to the commercial product (E.g. the product is not very soluble and precipitates), unfamiliarity with the medication system, etc. But the most common reason is that the estimated water consumption used to calculate the necessary medication is incorrect. This is the main cause of sub therapeutic dosing.

Figure 2. Estimations of nursery piglet water consumption in different real farm situations. (compiled by author)
Figure 2. Estimations of nursery piglet water consumption in different real farm situations. (compiled by author)
The reasons for low consumption can vary. Those that are a consequence of the installation are summarized in the following table:
Location Problem Consequences
Well Slurry contamination ↓ Palatability, abrupt ↓ in consumption and performance
Bacterial contamination Chronic ↓ in performance
Algae contamination Obstruction, ↓ volume, ↓ pressure
Sedimentation (sand, etc.) Obstruction, ↓ volume, ↓ pressure
Increase in salt concentration ↓ Palatability and possible intoxication
Filter Sediment in the line Obstruction, ↓ volume, ↓ pressure
Absence of filter ↑↑ Obstruction, ↓↓ H2O availability
Pressure variations Variations in volume and availability
Water shortages ↓ volume and possible salt intoxication
Tank Inadequate, or lack of, lids Contamination and obstruction, ↓ consumption and performance
Mildew contamination Possible ↓ in performance
Antibiotics in the float valve Obstructions and residues in the meat
Valve/float valve problems Medication dose dilution
Valve/float valve blockage H2O shortage, ↓ volume and possible salt intoxication
Inadequate capacity Difficulty dosing medication, pressure variations
Inadequate situation ↓ volume, ↓ H2O availability
Inadequate height ↓ Pressure, ↓ H2O availability
Distribution Low pressure ↓ H2O availability with maximum demand
Variable pressure ↑↓ H2O availability based on demand
Reduced diameter (biofilm) ↓ volume, ↓ H2O availability
Long conduits ↓ Pressure, ↓ H2O availability
Insufficient diameter ↓ volume, ↓ H2O availability
Inaccessible slope ↓ H2O availability
Water too hot ↓ H2O consumption
Frost ↓ H2O availability
Drinkers Inadequate flow (low) ↓ volume, ↓ H2O availability
Too high ↑ Difficulty drinking, ↓ H2O availability, ↑ losses
Too low ↑ Difficulty drinking, ↓ H2O availability, ↑ losses
Incorrect angle ↑ Difficulty drinking, ↓ H2O availability, ↑ losses
Insufficient number ↓ H2O availability (above all with “dominated” piglets)
Excessively close together ↓ H2O availability (above all with “dominated” piglets)
To close to the wall ↓ H2O availability (above all with “dominated” piglets)
Inadequate for the age ↑ Difficulty drinking, ↓ H2O availability, ↑ losses
Losses ↑ medication and slurry losses
Inadequate maintenance ↓ volume, ↓ H2O availability
One next to another ↓ volume, volume variations, ↓ H2O availability

The presence of disease, stress due to cold, or drinking water with an elevated temperature can also reduce water consumption.

Higher water temperature reduces consumption:

Figure 3. Termography: water tanks for medicating fattening pigs. Source: Marco i Collell S.L. with testo 880-2 thermal imaging camera.
Figure 3. Termography: water tanks for medicating fattening pigs. Source: Marco i Collell S.L. with testo 880-2 thermal imaging camera.
Figure 4. Histogram: Shows the percentage frequency of the temperature of the selected area "H". Source: Marco i Collell S.L. with testo 880-2 thermal imaging camera.
Figure 4. Histogram: Shows the percentage frequency of the temperature of the selected area "H". Source: Marco i Collell S.L. with testo 880-2 thermal imaging camera.
Figure 5. Profile : Shows the profile of the temperature selected from the line “P”. Source: Marco i Collell S.L. with testo 880-2 thermal imaging camera.
Figure 5. Profile : Shows the profile of the temperature selected from the line “P”. Source: Marco i Collell S.L. with testo 880-2 thermal imaging camera.

The impact of flow

Sometimes, lack of consumption may be the result of poor flow.

Table 2. Water volume (L/min.) based on pipe diameter, with a water velocity of 1.22 m/sec. (according to MWPS recommendations) and without significant friction. Source: Approximate estimations of the author.

Pipe diameter (interior)
Volume
inches
mm
liters/minute
1/4
6
2
1/2
13
10
3/4
19
21
1
25
37
1 ¼
32
58

Increasing flow can be easy; it’s enough to just exchange the drinking troughs for higher flow models, although another solution is to install a pressure set. The effect this pressure change will have on the flow is easy to estimate.

For example, if we reduce the pressure by half, from 280 kPa to 140 kPa:

If, on the other hand, we double the pressure, from 70 kPa to 140 kPa:

Consumption

Knowing the true water consumption is essential for correct water medication. There are systems that allow automatic monitoring. Another option would be to install water counters and take note of the daily consumption.

Here we have an example of efficient control of water consumption:

Figure 6. Example of efficient water consumption monitoring. Source: Bird N. 2001 dicamUSA-Building Management Services, Fremont (NE).
Figure 6. Example of efficient water consumption monitoring. Source: Bird N. 2001 dicamUSA-Building Management Services, Fremont (NE).

When we under dose we don’t achieve the therapeutic effect hoped for, we waste water, the animals’ health and reproductive performance suffer, and what's worst is that we run the risk of creating resistance problems.

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FAQs

What is the main cause of sub therapeutic dosing water medication for pigs?

Incorrectly estimating water consumption when calculating the necessary medication is the most common, although other things that can cause plasma levels to drop below the minimum effective concentration. 

What is the main cause of subtherapeutic dosing of medicated water for pigs?

The most frequent problem is that the estimated water consumption used to calculate the medication needed does not correspond to the true consumption. There are also other causes such as errors in the calculation of the necessary dose, intrinsic characteristics of the commercial product, lack of knowledge of the medication system, etc.

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