The effect of dietary copper sulphate on laying performance, nutrient intake and tissue copper and iron levels of the mature, laying, domestic fowl

Abstract

1. A cereal-based diet containing 16 mg copper/kg was fed ad lib. to a group of laying hens for 35 d. Five other groups were given this control diet to which was added 120, 240, 480, and 1920 mg Cu/kg (as copper sulphate). 2. Records were kept of daily food intake, water intake and egg production. 3. After 35 d the hens were slaughtered and blood haemoglobin, packed cell volume, Cu and aspartate aminotransferase (EC 2.6.1.1) levels assayed. Liver, oviduct, kidney and breast muscle Cu and iron concentrations were measured. 4. Food and water intakes were depressed by the two highest levels of dietary Cu and water intake was increased by the diet with 240 mg added Cu/kg. Both food and water intake showed a quadratic relationship with the level of added dietary Cu. 5. Body-weight loss was increased by the addition of Cu and showed a significant linear relationship with the concentration of added Cu in the diet. Liver and oviduct weights were depressed at the two highest levels of Cu addition. 6. Liver and oviduct Cu and Fe concentrations were significantly increased by high dietary Cu and mean total liver and kidney Cu and Fe showed an increase although for the liver this was not statistically significant.

The effects of dietary intake and of dietary concentration of copper sulphate on the laying domestic fowl: Effects on laying performance and tissue mineral contents

“…For the adlibitum-kd birds it is possible that water intake decreased markedly at the high level of Cu intake, as shown by Jackson (1977).…”

“…The Cu salt was finely ground as specified by Jackson (1977). The control diet contained (per kg): 156 g crude protein (N x 6-25), 10 mg Cu, 147 mg Zn, 343 mg Fe, 36 g Ca, 5-8 g P and had a calculated apparent metabolisable energy (AME) content of 11 -4 MJ/kg.…”

“…The effects of added dietary copper sulphate (CuSO 4 ) on body weight, egg production, certain selected tissue weights and tissue mineral contents of mature, female domestic fowl have been reported (Thomas et al, 1974;Griminger, 1977;Jackson, 1977;Jackson et al, 1979;Stevenson and Jackson, 1980a, b Stevenson, 1981a, b). In these experiments, egg production was reduced by feeding diets with high contents of added CuSO 4 (supplying more than 300 mg Cu/kg diet), the decreases in egg production being accompanied by decreases in liver lipid concentrations.…”

Reconnaissance investigation of water quality, bottom sediment, and biota associated with irrigation drainage in the Gunnison and Uncompahgre River basins and at Sweitzer Lake, west-central Colorado, 1988-89

“…However, a single whole-body yellow-headed blackbird (immature, pre-fledgling) collected at Sweitzer Lake had a copper concentration of 258 |Jg/g dry weight (table 23). This concentration is much larger than background concentrations for copper reported in the literature (Beck, 1961;Jackson, 1977). Henderson and Winterfield (1975) reported normal bird liver copper concentration to be between 3 and 26 Mg/g.…”

“…Copper concentrations in the fish samples also were similar to copper concentrations in bluegill tissues (gill, liver, and kidney) from fish that were exposed to 3, 12, and 21 pg/L of copper for 2 years (Benoit, 1975). Benoit (1975) Beck (1961) and Jackson (1977). However, a single whole-body yellow-headed blackbird (immature, pre-fledgling) collected at Sweitzer Lake had a copper concentration of 258 |Jg/g dry weight (table 23).…”