Effects of dietary supplementation with copper sulphate and copper proteinate on plasma trace minerals, copper residues in meat tissue, organs, excreta and tibia bone of cockerels

Abstract

The present study was carried out to investigate the effect of dietary supplementation with copper sulphate (CuSO4 ) and copper proteinate (CuP) on plasma trace minerals, Cu residues in meat tissues, organs, excreta and tibia bone of cockerels using two hundred and forty (240) day-old cockerel chicks arranged in a 2 × 3 factorial arrangements involving 2 copper (Cu) sources (CuSO4 , CuP) supplemented with 3 dosages (0, 50 and 100 mg.kg-1). There were 6 treatment groups of 40 birds each replicated 5 times with 8 birds each. Experimental diets were fed for starter (0-8 weeks) and grower phases (8-16 weeks) of the bird. Increasing Cu dosage in the ration for cockerel chicks (0-8 weeks) resulted in increased (P<0.0001) Cu intake and improved (P<0.05) Cu bioavailability in the serum. Chicks fed diet supplemented with CuP showed increased (P<0.05) serum Zn concentration and reduced (P<0.05) Cu intake when compared to those fed diet supplemented with CuSO4 . At the grower phase (8-16 weeks), cockerels fed control diet had reduced serum Cu, while those fed diet supplemented with Cu, showed increased (P<0.05) serum Cu concentration. Dietary supplementation with CuP resulted in reduced (P<0.05) Cu intake and increased (P<0.05) serum Cu concentration when compared with cockerels fed diet supplemented with CuSO4 . Residual Cu concentration in breast meat tissue increased (P<0.05) with increasing dietary dosage of Cu. Dietary supplementation with CuP resulted in reduced (P<0.05) excreta Cu concentration, hence reduced environmental Cu pollution unlike birds fed diet containing CuSO4 which showed increased excreta Cu concentration. Dietary inclusion of CuP showed increased (P<0.05) liver, heart and tibia bone Cu concentration when compared with birds fed diet supplemented with CuSO4 . Cockerels fed diet supplemented with 100 mg.kg-1 Cu sourced from CuP recorded the highest (P<0.05) liver, heart and tibia bone Cu concentration. It was concluded that dietary inclusion of 100 mg.kg-1 Cu sourced from CuP is recommended for improved Cu bioavailability in blood, tissue, organs and tibia bone of cockerels. To achieve reduced environmental Cu pollution resulting from excreta of poultry birds, organic salts of Cu, such as CuP, is recommended as feed additive.