Growth performance, blood characteristics and plasma lipids of growing pullet fed dietary concentrations of organic and inorganic copper sources.

摘要

A 140-day study was conducted to determine the influence of dietary organic Cu (Cu proteinate) and inorganic Cu (CuSO₄) on growth performance, blood characteristics and plasma lipids of growing pullet. 480 day-old KabiruReg. breed chicks were randomly allocated to 6 treatment groups of 80 birds split over 4 replicates of 20 birds each. The diets consisted of a basal diet (containing 32.84 and 31.78 mg/kg Cu for starter and grower phases respectively) supplemented with organic Cu (Cu proteinate; Cu-P) or inorganic Cu (Cu sulphate; CuSO₄) fed at 3 dietary concentrations (50, 100 and 150 mg/kg). No significant (P>0.05) effect of Cu source, concentration and interaction of Cu source and concentration was obtained for growth response at starter and grower phases. CuSO₄ supplementation resulted in elevated (P<0.05) serum uric acid. Supplementation of diets with 150 mg/kg Cu resulted in the reduction (P<0.05) of white blood cell count of the birds. Cu-P decreased (P<0.05) plasma cholesterol, low density lipoprotein (LDL) and triglyceride in comparison to CuSO₄. CuSO₄ supplementation resulted in increased high density lipoprotein (HDL). Cu concentration elicited a linear response (P<0.05) for total cholesterol, LDL and triglyceride. It was concluded that the source and concentration of Cu did not lead to a significant difference in growth performance. Furthermore, Cu-P reduced (P<0.05) the plasma cholesterol concentration of the experimental birds when compared to CuSO₄. Also plasma cholesterol concentration reduced (P<0.05) with increased dietary Cu concentration.