Nano-oxygen-enhanced water technology can boost pig production
Pig and poultry production and the environment can be boosted through enhanced water technology, according to new research.
British agri-tech company Oxcel has had successful results from its Innovate UK-funded trials, which have been carried out in collaboration with Scotland’s Rural College (SRUC) and the UK Agri-Tech Centre.
Water-as-a-Service
The Water-as-a-Service (WaaS) model has been trialled across commercial farms in Eastern England and at SRUC. The nanobubble system transforms ordinary drinking water by quadrupling the dissolved oxygen.
This technology enables farmers to achieve higher animal welfare standards, greater liveweight gains and better farm economics without the need to disrupt existing infrastructure on farm.
Benefits of oxygen-enhanced drinking water
The validation trials showed that the oxygen-enhanced drinking water significantly improves broiler welfare, including reducing hock burns and white striping, improving feather condition and gut health, as well as boosting protein production.
Validated by Innovate UK-funded research at SRUC, the trails have shown that welfare improvements and profit increases can go hand in hand.
Sustainable production, enhanced welfare and quality
Alex Leigh, Oxcel CEO, said the technology would help enhance the move to sustainable production for the intensive livestock sectors. “Farmers are the heroes of the food system. At Oxcel, we support them in raising more healthy and resilient animals, better profits and lower environmental impact. With easy-to-use technology, that fits into existing setup, we are accelerating the transition towards more efficient and sustainable farming,” said Leigh.
Dr Farina Khattak, professor of applied poultry nutrition at SRUC, said: “Water quality is vital for animal health, yet it is often overlooked. Our research demonstrated that oxygen-enriched water can significantly enhance both welfare and meat quality, offering farmers a practical, non-pharmaceutical solution to improve production standards.”
The next step is to expand farming partnerships. Oxcel is engaging with investors to scale its now patent-pending technology across the UK and internationally.
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