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Nickel Toxicity in Growing Chicks¹

Poultry Science Department, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona

Two experiments have been conducted with chicks to determine the effects of high levels of dietary nickel on growth and nutrient utilization. Dietary nickel was supplied as either the acetate or sulfate salt at levels up to 1300 ppm in a basal diet calculated to be adequate in all known nutrients. Growth of chicks to 4 weeks of age was significantly depressed at 700 ppm nickel and above.

Metabolizable energy determinations on the respective experimental diets suggested an impairment in energy metabolism at the higher levels of dietary nickel. Fat retentions were not affected by nickel, but a marked reduction in nitrogen retention was obtained with the higher dietary levels of nickel.

In a second experiment, 1100 ppm nickel were incorporated into a basal diet and control diets pair-fed to delineate the effects associated with feed consumption and nickel toxicity per se. No significant differences in growth rate were obtained with either 1100 ppm nickel as the sulfate or acetate in comparison with the pair-fed controls. Nitrogen retention values were depressed in birds fed 1100 ppm nickel.

Manuscript received 13 November 1967.