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Excess Dietary Copper Triggers Enlargement of the Proventriculus in Broilers

Department of Poultry Science, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR 72703; Phone: (501) 575-4397; FAX: (501) 575-3026

G. R. Bayyari, W. E. Huff and P. A. Moore, Jr.

USDA, Agricultural Research Service, Poultry Production and Product Safety Unit, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR 72703

P. A. Dunn

Department of Veterinary Science, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802

Correspondence: R. F. Wideman, Jr.

Suspect feed was collected from two broiler houses in which random necropsies revealed proventricular enlargement (proventriculitis). Feed also was collected from two unaffected houses on the same farm. Broiler chicks received the suspect feed, feed from unaffected houses, and a control feed for 2 wk. Thereafter, all groups were fed control feed until 4 wk of age. The suspect feed caused a 70 to 100% incidence of obvious proventricular enlargement, which was significantly higher than the basal 10 to 30% incidence observed in broilers fed control feed or feed from unaffected houses. The incidence of proventricular enlargement reverted to control levels when birds previously fed suspect feed were switched to control feed during the last 2 wk of the experiment. The suspect feed contained Cu, added as copper sulfate, in excess of 200 ppm. In a second experiment, feeds formulated to contain 0, 250, 500, and 750 ppm Cu were fed to broilers for 4 wk. Dietary Cu at and above 250 ppm significantly increased the incidence of proventriculitis. Dietary Cu in excess of 200ppm can trigger the classic symptoms of proventricular enlargement and proventriculitis in broilers.

Key Words: Copper sulfate • feed withdrawal • processing • proventriculus