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Toxicity of minerals
At which level of Cu (copper) toxicity is observed in broiler?
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13 Replies
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Copper toxicity in broilers is usually observed when dietary levels exceed <strong data-start=”75″ data-end=”90″>250–300 ppm.
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Copper (Cu) toxicity in broiler chickens is generally observed at levels of 250 \text{ mg/kg} of feed and above when provided as a supplement (e.g., cupric sulfate).
Key points regarding copper toxicity in broilers:
- 250 \text{ mg/kg}: This level is often cited as a cautionary point, as it has been shown to have negative effects on bird performance, such as depressed growth, reduced feed intake, and impaired feed efficiency, especially during the starter period. It can also cause gross lesions like oral lesions and gizzard erosion.
- 300 \text{ mg/kg}: Intake levels higher than this are generally related to subclinical or clinical toxicity.
- 500 \text{ mg/kg}: This level is consistently reported to significantly depress growth and feed conversion, cause severe oral lesions and gizzard erosion, and damage the morphology of the gastrointestinal tract (e.g., depressed villi height).
- Acute Poisoning: A single, very high dose of copper sulfate (CuSO$_4$) greater than 1 \text{ g} can be fatal.
Toxicity symptoms can include:
- Depressed growth and feed intake
- Poor feed conversion ratio (FCR)
- Severe oral lesions and gizzard erosion
- Damaged gastrointestinal tract morphology
- Accumulation of copper in the liver
- Watery diarrhea and listlessness (in acute cases)Copper (Cu) toxicity in broiler chickens is generally observed at levels of 250 \text{ mg/kg} of feed and above when provided as a supplement (e.g., cupric sulfate).
Key points regarding copper toxicity in broilers:
250 \text{ mg/kg}: This level is often cited as a cautionary point, as it has been shown to have negative effects on bird performance, such as depressed growth, reduced feed intake, and impaired feed efficiency, especially during the starter period. It can also cause gross lesions like oral lesions and gizzard erosion.
300 \text{ mg/kg}: Intake levels higher than this are generally related to subclinical or clinical toxicity.
500 \text{ mg/kg}: This level is consistently reported to significantly depress growth and feed conversion, cause severe oral lesions and gizzard erosion, and damage the morphology of the gastrointestinal tract (e.g., depressed villi height).
Acute Poisoning: A single, very high dose of copper sulfate (CuSO$_4$) greater than 1 \text{ g} can be fatal.
Toxicity symptoms can include:
Depressed growth and feed intake
Poor feed conversion ratio (FCR)
Severe oral lesions and gizzard erosion
Damaged gastrointestinal tract morphology
Accumulation of copper in the liver
Watery diarrhea and listlessness (in acute cases)
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Thank you
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What an informative and Educative treatment of the topic”Cu(copper) toxicity.
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Hi Akinbobola, references include:
The copper requirement of 8 mg/kg is based on the study of McNaughton and Day (1979). The committee suggests only estimated values after 3 weeks of age.
The National Research Council (NRC) Nutritional Requirements of Poultry, page 30, https://www.agropustaka.id/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/agropustaka.id_buku_Nutrient-Requirements-of-Poultry_Ninth-Revised-Edition-1994-NRC.pdf
A high dietary copper supplementation of 500 mg/kg did significantly depress growth and feed conversion in the broilers (p<0.05). Copper supplementation more than 250 mg/kg in the broiler diet significantly influenced the morphology of the GI tract, as shown by severe oral lesions and gizzard erosion. It also significantly depressed the villi height and significantly thickened the muscular layer in the duodenum (p<0.05). The severely damaged villi were observed by scanning electronic microscope from the duodenum samples of broilers fed a 500 mg/kg copper supplemented diet. The 500 mg/kg copper supplemented diet also significantly influenced the plasma constituents. Plasma glucose concentration was significantly depressed (p<0.05).
Effect of High Dietary Copper on the Morphology of Gastro-Intestinal Tract in Broiler Chickens https://koreascience.kr/article/JAKO199923443160656.page
In summary, the findings of the current study suggest that supplementation of broiler chicken’s diet with copper at growth-promoting levels (up to 200 mg/kg of finished feed) alters gut microbiota composition, does not negatively affect tissue oxidation and gut integrity of the bird. The supplementation of copper from copper hydroxychloride could be beneficial over copper sulfate in improving intestinal morphology and reducing copper excretion, especially at 200 mg/kg Cu as copper hydroxychloride. In addition, these results showed that a wheat-soybean based diet without any supplemental copper does not compromise liver health, intestinal morphology, and integrity.
Sources and levels of copper affect liver copper profile, intestinal morphology and cecal microbiota population of broiler chickens fed wheat-soybean meal diets https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-022-06204-9
A study where broiler chicks consuming starter rations with 2,140–2,393 ppm copper (as tribasic copper chloride) displayed the above symptoms and suffered significant mortalities. Necropsies and laboratory analyses confirmed severe liver and kidney damage as well as systemic failure linked directly to the high copper concentration in the feed.
Tribasic Copper Chloride Toxicosis in Commercial Broiler Chicks https://meridian.allenpress.com/avian-diseases/article-abstract/58/4/642/209825/Tribasic-Copper-Chloride-Toxicosis-in-Commercial?redirectedFrom=fulltext
These studies confirm that while moderate copper supplementation benefits broiler growth and health, exceeding approximately 300 mg/kg poses toxicity risks, and extremely high doses lead to severe systemic damage.
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Thanks
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Informative
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exceeding 250ppm
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In broiler chickens, copper (Cu) toxicity is typically observed at levels exceeding 250 ppm in the diet. While moderate levels of Cu (around 125 ppm) can have beneficial effects on feed conversion ratio (FCR) without negatively impacting performance at market age, higher levels (250 ppm and above) can lead to growth retardation, muscle atrophy, and morphological changes in visceral organs.
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This is educative . Thanks for sharing
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COPPER TOXICITY IN BROILERS
The following should be considered as general information only; however, you should always seek professional advice, specific to your individual circumstances.
Based on the literature, the toxic level of copper for broilers generally begins at dietary concentrations around 300-500 mg/kg (ppm) and above.
Doses around 100–200 ppm are often used as growth promoters in feed, improving gut health and performance without toxicity. However, exceeding these levels risks adverse effects.
Levels of 300 ppm and higher have been associated with growth depression, intestinal damage, and poor bird health.
At approximately 500 ppm, copper causes significant damage such as duodenal villi injury, reduced feed intake, and impaired digestive enzyme activity, all contributing to poor growth and predisposition to disease.
Extremely high exposures, such as feed containing over 2,000 ppm copper, have caused acute copper toxicosis with clinical signs including lethargy, paralysis, liver and kidney damage, and high mortality.
The National Research Council (NRC) recommends a nutritional requirement of around 8 ppm, with therapeutic or growth-promoting doses often between 100–150 ppm, used cautiously without exceeding 150 ppm to avoid toxicity risk.
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Informative
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I would like to know the paper you got this vital information from. Thanks
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