Decrease of Cu and Fe concentrations from broiler droppings using dietary organometallic compounds

The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of the partial or total replacement of the inorganic Cu and Fe salts by organic forms of these elements on broiler performance and on the elimination of minerals through broiler droppings. A study was conducted for 42 days on 240 broiler chicks treated with trace elements chelates with amino acids: B-TRAXIMRTEC Cu-I30; B- TRAXIMRTEC Fe-120. The broiler chicks were housed in cages (10 chicks per cage, 6 cages per group) and assigned to 4 groups (C, E1, E3 and E3) fed on the same corn-soybean meal-based diet. Phased-feeding was used according to the developmental stages of the broilers (starter, grower and finisher). Feed intake and the amount of droppings were recorded daily. The daily records of droppings and their chemical analysis was used to determine the trace elements load of the droppings. The total or partial replacement of the inorganic Cu and Fe salts by chelates of these minerals with amino acids in broiler diets didn't affect broiler performance. The inclusion of Cu chelates in broiler diets at the level recommended by the manufacturer of by NRC decreased by at least 34% the level of Cu (environmentally toxic element) in the droppings. The corresponding decrease was of 5-21% for Fe.