Shed issues: scale build-up | Chicken Meat Trade

Table 39. Troubleshooting scale build-up

Operational monitoring
Parameter	Target criteria	Critical limits	Monitoring method
Hardness	0–100mg/L	Scale build-up Drinker blockages Coolers clogged with mineral build-up	Online, continuous flow and pH. Regular monitoring with an on-farm test strip. Laboratory analysis. Visual inspection of water pipes and drinkers. Appropriate electronic or hard copy monitoring records.
Calcium	0–60mg/L
Magnesium	0–14mg/L
Sulphates	0–40mg/L
Iron	0–0.20mg/L
Manganese	0–0.01mg/L
Corrective action Breaches in critical limits or target criteria should result in any of the operating procedures below as necessary: An acid treatment should be conducted. Water lines should be flushed more regularly. Water could be acidified. For iron, manganese and sulphates scale an oxidation pre-treatment should be used. For low to moderate scale, an electronic descaler could be used. Iron exchange could be used for moderate to high scale. Reverse osmosis could be used for high scale.
Verification Calibration and maintenance of equipment Drinking water quality monitoring Increase the frequency of monitoring Satisfactory production Evaluation and audit