Influence of three levels of copper on the performance of turkey poults with diets containing two sources of methionine.

Two trials were conducted to compare the performance of Nicholas Large White turkey poults fed diets with three levels of copper in diets with two sources of methionine. A corn-soybean meal diet, containing 26.5% protein, was used. The two methionine sources were fed at 0 and .06% in diets containing 0, 500, and 750 ppm of copper supplied by CuSO4 X 5H2O. The basal diet contained no supplemental choline and sulfate-free trace minerals were used. The addition of 500 ppm of copper from copper sulfate to the diet improved body weight, feed efficiency, and feed consumption. However, the addition of 750 ppm of copper resulted in a depression of all of the parameters. The addition of both methionine sources significantly improved body weight, feed consumption, and feed efficiency at all levels of copper supplementation. No significant difference was attributed to the two sources of methionine as the response to the two sources was the same at all levels of copper supplementation.