THE USE OF STABILIZED LIQUIDE CHLORINE DIOXIDE (ClO2) FOR INTERNAL WATER SUPPLY SYSTEM SANITATION OF FARM WITH LAYING FLOCK AFFECTED BY COLISEPTICEMIA

A successful and harmless method for rehabilitation of hygienic status of water and its supply system using a stabilized liquid chlorine dioxide solution on a farm of the laying hens affected by severe colisepticemia is described. Source of infection was drinking water contaminated by slurry from two pig facilities located above the water tank. The contaminated water caused the emergence of biofilm consisting mainly of coliform bacteria on the interior surfaces of the plastic pipes. Through drinking the contaminated water the infection of the laying flocks occurred. With the aim of improving the flocks’ health status, a programme of sanitary treatment of external and internal water supply system and water was created and implemented. In order to prevent biofilm formation and improve sanitation prescribed was the use of stabilized liquid chlorine dioxide (ClO2) in the 4‰ concentration for so-called night "shock" treatments, and 2‰ concentration for prophylactic daily disinfection of drinking water. With the improvement of the flocks’ health status, the "shock" treatments with ClO2 were repeated in the upcoming months. As an add-on therapy, 40 mg per bird of vitamin C through drinking water for three days was prescribed. The use of non-resorptive antibiotics, AD3E vitamins and amino acid supplements was excluded because they had failed to improve the flocks’ health status in the acute phase. Therefore, the sanitation programme based on the use of stabilized liquid ClO2 in the water supply system of the laying flocks affected by severe colisepticemia resulted in radical decrease of mortality during the next three months. Key words: chlorine dioxide, biofilm, sanitation, disinfection, colisepticemia