Abstract
Summary
Day-old turkey poults were fed 5 levels of supplemental copper for 6 weeks. There was a significant stimulation of growth in those fed 1.32 to 3.96 ppm of added copper. Microhematocrits of all turkeys were within normal ranges. The erythrocytes of birds fed 1.32 ppm of supplemental copper had abnormally shaped nuclei, while those of poults fed 1.98 and 3.96 ppm of copper were normal. Nuclear changes consisted of lobulated nuclei, duplication of nuclei, forked nuclei and other bizarre manifestations. Heart and liver cytochrome oxidase activity was greater in those birds fed 1.32 to 3.96 ppm of added copper.
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