Background and Aim: Copper (Cu) is a vital mineral involved in various physiological and biochemical processes, growth, and productivity of animals and birds. Birds can absorb only a small fraction of Cu and most is excreted, contaminating soil and aquatic environment which is toxic for microorganisms, plants, animals, and humans. This study evaluated the possibility of use of organic and nanoparticles sources of Cu to reduce supplementation level without compromising the performance of breeder hens. Materials and Methods: A total of 224 Swarnadhara breeder hens were divided into seven treatment groups having four replicates in each. The basal diet (control) containing 20 ppm inorganic Cu (100% of standard recommendation) and six test diets containing 20, 15, and 10 ppm (100, 75, and 50% of standard recommendation) from Cu organic source, and 15, 10, and 5 ppm (75, 50, and 25%) from Cu nanoparticles (Cu-NP), were prepared and offered to respective treatment groups for a duration of 20 weeks. Results: The hen day egg production, hen housed egg production, feed conversion ratio egg mass, albumen index, yolk index, total fat content, and color score were not affected by the source and inclusion level of Cu. The feed intake was significantly (p<0.05) lower at 15 ppm and egg weight was significantly (p<0.05) higher at 10 ppm Cu-NP supplemental level, but was non-significant in other treatment groups compared to control. The body weight gain were significantly (p<0.05) higher at 20 ppm organic and 15 ppm Cu-NP inclusion. The egg shape index and Haugh unit were significantly (p<0.05) lower at 10 and 15 ppm of Cu-NP inclusion level, respectively. The shell thickness was improved (p<0.05) at 20 and 15 ppm organic and 15 and 10 ppm Cu-NP inclusion level. The egg fertility rate was shown to be significantly (p<0.05) higher at 20 ppm organic Cu inclusion group, but the hatchability based on total number of eggs set improved (p<0.05) at 20 and 15 ppm organic Cu inclusion level while all treatment groups were comparable to control. The hatchability of fertilized egg and chick's quality significantly (p<0.05) improved, while embryonic and chick mortality after hatching before-sorting was significantly (p<0.05) reduced at 15 ppm of Cu-NP inclusion group. Conclusion: It was concluded that the inorganic Cu can be replaced with 50% of organic or 25% of nanoparticles form of Cu without jeopardizing the breeder hens' productivity, egg quality characteristics, hatchability, and progeny.
Experiments were conducted to assess the effect of dietary organic and nano-particle forms of Cu at reduced levels on serum biochemical profile and immune response in improved chickens. Giriraja chicks (n=420) were assigned to starter (1-6 weeks) and grower diets (7-10 weeks) and Swarnadhara breeders (n=224) to breeder diets (28-48 weeks) during experimentation. Control diet prepared for each phase was supplemented with inorganic CuSO4 as per ICAR recommendation and test diets with organic Cu at 100 (OC-100), 75 (OC-75) and 50% (OC-50) or with nanoparticle Cu at 75 (NC-75), 50 (NC-50) and 25% (NC-25) of control. During each phase, blood samples were collected from 8 birds in each treatment. The serum total protein and globulin was higher in OC-50 and lower in NC-50 at 3rd and 48th week. Glucose content was higher in control and OC-50 as compared to NC-50 group at 3rd week and lower in NC-75 as compared to all other groups at 10th week. Total cholesterol was lower in OC-100 and NC-75 at 10th week and in NC-75 at 48th week. Serum albumin, calcium, phosphorus, triglyceride, creatinine, SGOT and SGPT were similar among the groups during 3rd, 10th and 48th week. Antibody titre against Newcastle disease virus was higher in OC-75 and lower in NC-75 and titre against infectious Bursal disease virus was higher in OC-75 at 3rd week, while similar among the groups at 10th week. It was concluded that the dietary inclusion of organic and Nano Cu at reduced levels had no adverse effect on biochemical profile except nano Cu on immune response at 3rd week of chicken age.
Background: Copper (Cu) is an essential trace mineral for growth, production and health of poultry. Due to its poor absorption from inorganic source which is common supplemental form, large amount of Cu is excreted in the excreta. This experiment was conducted to assess the bioavailability of Cu from organic and nano sources at lower level of supplementation to reduce the excretion level without compromising the growth performance of chicken. Methods: A total of 420-day-old Giriraja chicks were randomly assigned to 7 treatment groups having 4 replicates each (15 chicks per replicate). The basal diets of both chick (0-6 weeks) and grower phases (7-10 weeks) were supplemented with 20 and 30 ppm of Cu from inorganic source as control (T1), the groups T2, T3 and T4 supplemented with 100, 75 and 50% of control from organic Cu, T5, T6 and T7 treatment diets supplemented with 75, 50 and 25% of control from Cu nanoparticles, respectively. Result: The grower phase and cumulative body weight gain was significantly (p less than 0.05) higher in T2 compared to T1, T6 and T7 groups, while the feed intake in chick phase was lower in T2, T5 and T7 groups as compared to T1, T3, T4 and T6. The chick phase feed conversion ratio was significantly (p less than 0.05) better in T2 and T5 groups compared to T1, T3, T4, T6 and T7, whereas the cumulative FCR was better in T2 and T5 compared to T6 and T7 groups, while it was not affected during grower phase. The dry matter and crude protein metabolizability were significantly (p less than 0.05) higher in T2 and T5, the organic matter and ether extract metabolizability was higher only in T5. The crude fiber and nitrogen free extract was not affected by the treatment diets. Nitrogen excretion was significantly (p less than 0.05) lower and its retention was higher in T2 and T5 treatment groups but was comparable with control. The Cu excretion through excreta was significantly (p less than 0.05) higher and its retention was lower in control as compared to all dietary treatments. Hence, it was concluded that the Cu supplementation from organic or nanoparticles form can be reduced by 50 and 75% of standard, respectively without compromising the growth performance of birds and nutrient digestibility of diets.
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