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Effects of Various Copper Sources and Concentrations on Performance, Skeletal Growth, and Mineral Content of Excreta in Broiler Chickens

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Abstract

The experiment was designed to study the effect of supplemental sources and concentrations of copper on the performance and development and mineralization of tibia bones in broiler chickens. A 42-day feeding experiment was conducted utilising three copper sources, including copper sulphate (CuS), copper chloride (CuCl), and copper propionate (CuP), each with four different concentrations, i.e. 8, 100, 150, and 200 mg/kg. The body weight gain with 200 mg Cu/kg food was noticeably higher during the first 4–6 weeks of age. Due to the interaction between Cu sources and levels, there was no significant change in the body weight gained. The feed intake during various growing phases did differ significantly neither the main effect nor the interaction between different copper sources and levels. A CuP-supplemented diet (200 mg/kg food) considerably (P ≤ 0.05) improved the feed conversion ratio between 4–6 and 0–6 weeks. At the end of the experiment, a total of 72 tibia bones, i.e. six for each treatment were collected. A metabolic trial was conducted to look into mineral retention in broiler chickens on the final 3 days of the trial (40–42 days). Increased tibia bone zinc (Zn) levels were seen with the addition of 8 mg Cu/kg of Cu chloride, 100 mg Cu/kg of Cu propionate, 8 mg Cu/kg of Cu sulphate, and 8 mg/kg of Cu propionate to the diet. At higher levels of Cu (150 and 200 mg/kg diet), there was a significantly (P ≤ 0.01) reduced tibia Zn content. Cu sulphate treatment group had higher (P ≤ 0.01) tibia Cu content (8 mg Cu/kg diet). Cu sulphate supplemented diet had a greater excreta Zn content (P ≤ 0.01) than Cu chloride supplemented diet, and Cu propionate supplemented diet had the lowest excreta Zn content. Excreta with a higher Fe concentration were found in diets supplemented with copper sulphate and copper chloride (P ≤ 0.05) than in diets supplied with copper propionate. Thus, it may be concluded that feeding dietary Cu concentrations up to 200 mg Cu/kg diet, regardless of the different sources, had no negative effects on bone morphometry and mineralization parameters with the exception of a decrease in the tibia’s zinc content.

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Data Availability

The corresponding author had access to all raw and analysed data, which will disclose upon request.

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Acknowledgements

The authors are appreciative to the employees of the ICAR-Central Avian Research Institute’s Division of Avian Nutrition and Feed Technology for their cooperation in conducting the tests.

Funding

This work was supported by the ICAR-Central Avian Research Institute, Izatnagar, India.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Avian Nutrition and Feed Technology Division, ICAR-Central Avian Research Institute, Bareilly-243 122, Izatnagar, India

    Chandra Deo, Avishek Biswas, Divya Sharma, Jayanti L. Agashe & Ashok Kumar Tiwari

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  1. Chandra Deo
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  2. Avishek Biswas
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  3. Divya Sharma
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  4. Jayanti L. Agashe
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  5. Ashok Kumar Tiwari
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Contributions

CD developed the study and drafted the text; JLA, CD, AB, and DS conducted the animal experiment and laboratory analysis; and AB and AKT conducted the data analysis and final drafting.

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Correspondence to Avishek Biswas.

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The care and use of experimental animals were conducted in accordance with all institutional and national norms.

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Deo, C., Biswas, A., Sharma, D. et al. Effects of Various Copper Sources and Concentrations on Performance, Skeletal Growth, and Mineral Content of Excreta in Broiler Chickens. Biol Trace Elem Res 201, 5786–5793 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12011-023-03623-1

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