Does feeding high levels of copper have the same growth promoting effects in poultry as in swine?
A. Recent research in Egypt showed that feeding copper sulfate at 150 ppm improved daily weight gain and feed efficiency in broilers. However, when copper carbonate or copper oxide was fed at the same concentration there was no response. Histological examination of the small intestine suggests that copper sulfate resulted in a healthier intestinal lining with a more absorptive surface.
