The Effect of Supplemental Copper and Methionine on the Performance of Turkey Poults

A total of 384 white turkey poults were divided within sex into four replicate groups of eight birds each and fed one of six treatment diets. To a basal corn-soy diet which contained 26% protein and .765% sulfur-amino acid was added 0, 500, or 750 ppm copper as CuSO4 · 5H2O both with and without .40% supplemental methionine. The diets were fed ad libitum from hatch to 21 days of age, at which time poults were individually weighed and one bird in each replicate sacrificed for digestive tract observation. Mortality and feed consumption data were obtained, and the experiment was repeated once. The addition of methionine increased growth, which indicated that the diet was inadequate in sulfur-amino acids. The addition of copper at either level greatly reduced 21-day body weights in proportion to the level fed. Copper addition also reduced average daily feed consumption. Feed efficiency did not appear to be affected by the addition of copper. Addition of supplemental methionine to the copper treatments partially offset the effects of the copper and resulted in higher weights and better feed efficiency than was observed with the basal alone. Gizzard erosion was increased with copper supplementation and was partially offset with supplemental methionine.