ROOSTERS PREFER COOL DRINKING-WATER IN BOTH SUMMER AND WINTER

Ther is evidence that drinking cool water at high temperature and warm water at low air temperatures may allevatiate thermoregulatory stress and improve performance in chickens. We reproduced, therefore, that w hen given a choice, roosters would choose cool over warm water in summ er and warm over cool water in winter. We offered broiler breeder roos ter tap water at 25 degrees C and cool water at 8 degrees C in summer and tap water at 12 degrees C and warm water at 30 degrees C in winter . Water was offered at 08:00 hr and 14:00 hr, each time for 45 min. Th ere was no difference in water temperature preference during the first 2 days and the morning of the 3rd day in either season. Selection of a water temperature was made in the afternoon of the 3rd day, when coo l water comprised 93% of the intake in summer and 86% in winter. There after, on a daily basis, cool water intake ranged between 71 and 89% i n summer and between 85 and 95% in winter. There was no difference in the proportion of cool vs. warm water intake between morning and after noon. In summer, the total volume of water drunk in the morning did no t differ from that int he afternoon, nut in winter the roosters drank more in the afternoon than in the morning.