EFFECTS OF DIETARY SUPPLEMENTATION WITH COPPER SULPHATE AND COPPER PROTEINATE ON PLASMA TRACE MINERALS, COPPER RESIDUES IN MEAT TISSUES, ORGANS, EXCRETA AND TIBIA BONE OF COCKERELS

The present study was carried out to investigate the effect of dietary supplementation with copper sulphate (CuSO4) and copper proteinate (CuP) on plasma trace minerals, Cu residues in meat tissues, organs, excreta and tibia bone of cockerels using two hundred and forty (240) day-old cockerel chicks arranged in a 2 × 3 factorial arrangements involving 2 copper (Cu) sources (CuSO4, CuP) supplemented with 3 dosages (0, 50 and 100 mg.kg-1). There were 6 treatment groups of 40 birds each replicated 5 times with 8 birds each. Experimental diets were fed for starter (0-8 weeks) and grower phases (8-16 weeks) of the bird. Increasing Cu dosage in the ration for cockerel chicks (0-8 weeks) resulted in increased (P