Veterinary Research Forum

Effects of different copper sources on performance, carcass characteristics and intestinal histomorphology in broiler chickens

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

Navar Ahmad Kazem 1
Mohsen Daneshyar 1
Abbas Nikoo 2
Gholamreza Najafi 3
Seyyed Meysam Abtahi Froushani 4

1 Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Agriculture, Urmia University, Urmia, Iran

2 Department of Organic Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, Urmia University, Urmia, Iran

3 Department of Basic Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Urmia University, Urmia, Iran

4 Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Urmia University, Urmia, Iran

10.30466/vrf.2025.2060328.4755
Abstract
This study aimed to evaluate the effects of different copper sources experimental copper sulfate (CS), copper methionine (CM), copper carbohydrate, copper dihydrogen phosphate (CP), and nano copper (CN) on growth performance, carcass characteristics and intestinal histomorphology in broiler chickens. A total number of 300-day-old broilers were randomly assigned to five dietary treatments with six replicates each. During the finisher and the whole experimental periods, CM- and CN-fed birds had the highest and lowest body weight gain, respectively compared to the birds in other treatments. Consumption of the CM diet increased the feed intake compared to the different treatments. Feed conversion ratio was increased by consumption of CN compared to CM during the finisher and the whole experimental periods. In the duodenum, villus height (VH) was significantly increased by CN as compared to control. In the jejunum, consumption of both the CM and CC diets caused the lowest VH, whereas dietary CN inclusion resulted in the highest VH. The VH/crypt depth (CD) ratio was at the lowest and the highest levels by CM and CN, respectively. In the ileum, villus width was numerically decreased by CP. The CS-fed birds had the highest CD between the treatments. The VH/CD ratio was higher in CP and CN-fed birds compared to CS ones. Moreover, the goblet cell number was decreased by dietary CP compared to CM. In conclusion, broiler performance was increased by both CM and CP sources of copper, with methionine-based copper being suggested as a component of chicken diets.

Keywords

Broiler chicken
Carcass characteristics
Copper
Histomorphology
Performance
Subjects
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Veterinary Research Forum
Volume 17, Issue 7
July 2026
Pages 481-488

  • Receive Date 01 June 2025
  • Revise Date 06 August 2025
  • Accept Date 27 August 2025

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