Abstract
A total of 100 water samples were collected from different poultry and cattle farms in Behera province to be evaluated bacteriologically to investigate the role of drinking water a a source of pathogenic and potentially pathogenic bacteria in different animal farms including cattle and poultry. The results of bacteriological examination of 25 water samples collected from broiler farms revealed the isolation of E. coli (10.2 %), Salmonella spp.(3.4%), Ps. aeruginosa (11.4%), Staph. aureus (13.6%), Str. faecalis (12.5%), and Str. pyogenes (5.9%). Also, bacteriological examination of another 25 water samples collected from layers´ farms revealed the isolation of E. coli (12.6 %), Salmonella spp. (6.3%), Ps. aeruginosa (8.4%), Staph. aureus (20%), Str. faecalis (11.6%), and Str. pyogenes (5.3%). Generally, it was noticed that the rate of bacterial isolation were higher in layers´ farms than broilers. On the other side, 25 water samples were collected from some dairy farms where their bacteriological examination revealed the isolation of E. coli (7.6%), Shigella flexneri (2.5%), Ps. aeruginosa (13.9%), Staph. aureus (11.4%), Str. pyogenes (6.3%) and Str. faecalis (20.3%). Finally, 25 water samples were collected from individually owned cow sheds where their examination revealed the isolation of E. coli (8.6%), Shigella flexneri (0.0%), Ps. aeruginosa (16.2%), Staph. aureus (13.3%), Str. pyogenes (5.7%) and Str. faecalis (8.5%). The hygienic significance of the obtained results was discussed.

Key words: Microbial evaluation, water quality, poultry farms