Four reasons to automatically flush drinking lines

Access to tasty, fresh, and clean drinking water plays a crucial role in the growth and health of poultry. That is why it is important to flush the drinking lines regularly. With an automatic flushing system you don't have to worry about this, while you also save on water, labor, and medicine costs. And on top of that, you extend the life of your drinking water system.

#1 Optimum production results

Chickens are very sensitive to changes in water quality. Is the water too warm, or does it have a different taste, for example, due to pollution of the source? Then they will drink less. This has a direct effect on digestion and feed conversion, amongst other issues. A chicken that drinks less will also eat less. By automatically flushing your lines, the temperature and quality of the drinking water remain constant. This contributes towards optimum broiler growth and egg production of laying hens. 

#2 Save on water and labor costs

Manually flushing drinking water lines can quickly take up to half an hour in labor per house. With an automatic flushing system, you save on labor costs. An automatic flushing system also uses no more water than is necessary to flush the drinking lines. This guarantees optimal water quality without leading to water wastage.

#3 Reducing medication use

By automatically flushing your lines, you reduce the probability of biofilm forming. A biofilm is a slime layer that adheres to the inside of the drinking line. This layer forms the perfect breeding ground for bacteria, mold, and other harmful microorganisms. This, of course, has a negative effect on the health of your animals. You can safeguard water quality with an automatic flushing system. It forms the foundation for reducing medication use and keeping your poultry free from antibiotics. 

#4 Longer service life of your drinking water system

Dirt in your drinking water system can cause blockages in drinking lines or nipples. Furthermore, bacteria can produce aggressive substances such as sulfide or sulfuric acid, which can eventually damage your drinking lines. By automatically flushing drinking water systems, you prevent microbial corrosion and extend the life of your drinking water system.

These are the parts of an automatic flushing system

The Impex I-Flush is a completely automatic flushing system for poultry drinking water lines. The I-Flush consist of a flush computer that controls the system, a pressure regulator with a flushing actuator, an end air outlet set, and a drainage hose to the main drain. Optionally, you can add biofilm sensors and temperature sensors to the I-Flush system. 

Four ways to automatically flush

• Based on time: Regularly flush the lines. You can use pre-programmed schedules for breeders, laying hens, and broilers.
• Using your own flushing schedule: You can easily put together your own flushing schedules with the flush computer. You can also change the duration of the flushing program and set how much water is used for flushing and filling the drinking lines. 
• Setting the temperature: You can measure the water temperature using a temperature sensor in the drinking lines. Does it exceed a preset maximum temperature? Then the I-Flush flushes the drinking lines. It is also possible to place an extra sensor in the water supply line. This allows you to automatically flush if the difference in temperature between the supply line and the drinking line becomes too big.
• In case of pollution: A biofilm sensor measures the water turbidity by measuring the intensity of the light. The pollution of the water is displayed on the control unit by an LED light. The color shown corresponds to the contamination stage. When the preset level of contamination is exceeded, the I-Flush automatically flushes the drinking lines. 

Preventing excessive flushing through sensors

In most cases, the automatic flushing of the drinking lines ensures that the drinking water is fresh, clean, and at the right temperature. However, there are always exceptions, for example, in case of stubborn contamination or too high a water supply temperature. In such cases, you do not want a sensor-controlled automatic flushing system to keep flushing the lines. That is why it is possible to set a maximum number of flushings. If that number is reached, you will receive a warning, and you can take additional measures to bring the water quality back up to standard.