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Effect of Dietary Fe to Cu Ratios on Hematological and Growth Responses of Broiler Chickens

U.S. Department of Agriculture, Science and Education Administration, Federal Research, South Central Poultry Research Laboratory, Mississippi State, Mississippi 39762, and Poultry Science Department, Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station, Mississippi State University, Mississippi State, Mississippi 39762

A total of 2,640 broiler strain cockerels were used in three experiments to determine the interrelationship between Fe and Cu requirements of 1- to 21-day old broiler chicks. In each experiment, a starch non-fat milk basal diet was fed to chicks maintained in battery brooders beginning at 1 day of age. Maximum hemoglobin levels and packed cell volumes (PCV) of 21-day old chicks were found by feeding 80 parts per million (ppm) of dietary Fe and 8 ppm of dietary Cu from 1 to 21 days of age. The heaviest 21-day old chicks were found by feeding 80 ppm dietary Fe. Variations were found among experiments in the copper requirement based on body weight. The Cu requirement ranged from 8 to 16 ppm as indicated by 21-day old chick weights. A 10:1 dietary Fe to Cu ratio with an Fe requirement of 80 ppm appeared to maximize hemoglobin levels and PCV's of 21-day old broiler chicks; whereas, a 5:1 dietary Fe to Cu ratio, rather than a 10:1, 15:1, or 20:1 ratio, maximized 21-day old chick weights. Iron requirements for hematological and growth responses are essentially the same; however, the copper requirement may be slightly different for the two criteria.

KEY WORDS: • iron • copper • chicks • growth • hematological

Manuscript received 22 May 1978.