Bioavailability of Cu from sulphate sources for broiler chicks at starting phase

Abstract

Hubbard one-day old chicks were utilized, being 300 of both sexes. The experimental design utilized vvas the completely randomized, in a fatorial scheme 3x3 + 1 (leveis of Cu supplementation x sources + zero levei of supplementation), with 3 replicatations and 10 hirds per experimental unit. The experimental diet was formulated on the basis of corn and soybean meai containing 9.35 ppm of analysed copper. Analytical grade (AG) copper sulphate (25.46%) was used as a standard source. The commercial sources evaluated were F.G copper sulphate (24.24%)and F.G copper sulphate(23.61%). The leveis of supplementation were 0, 100, 200 and 300 ppm. No significant differences were observed (P>0.05) as regards both leveis and sources of copper supplementation on the performance of the birds, being that only the data for feed conversion differed significantly (P<0.01) among the sources, where AG copper sulphate proved to bc superior to commercial sources. Analvsis of copper deposition in the tissues, pointed out significant effects (P<0.01) for the liver and serum, being that for the tíbia, tliere vvas not response (P>0.05). The values of relative biovaibility of the sources was 96.00% and 76.00% for the sources of F.G. copper sulphate (24.24) and F.G. copper sulphate (23.61%) as compared to AG sulphate. Copper conccntrations in tissues ponted out that thc liver was thc most sensible to assess bioavaibility. This relationship displayed by the liver respecting copper, supports its role as the chiei organ storing this microelement in the organism. The copper solubilities in water were 98.6% for the of copper sulphate F.G.(24.24%)and, 97.3% for the copper sulphate F.G.(23.61%). Both sources shovved high solubilities in IICI 0.4% and citric .acid 2.0%.