Effects of Urea and Copper Sulphate on Some Serum
Biochemical and Meat Parameters in Broiler Chicken
A. Rasool, M. Tariq Javed*, Masood Akhtar1, S.
Shabbir Bhatti, M. N. Shahzad and Riaz Hussain2
Department of Pathology,
1Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Veterinary
Science, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad; 2University College
of Veterinary and Animal Science, The Islamia University of
Bahawalpur-63000, Pakistan
*Corresponding author: javedmt@gmail.com
Abstract
In this study we
analysed some of the serum enzymes, urea and creatinine to understand the
pathological changes occurring in different organs of the broilers due to use of
urea and copper. The feeding of urea and copper together for 15 days at or
higher than 2% urea + 1gm copper sulphate caused significant rise in serum ALT,
AST, AKP and creatinine. With further increase in time of 15 days, the levels of
urea and LDH also increased significantly, this was seen even in birds fed 1%
urea + 250 mg copper sulphate. We found increase in serum urea even in 1% urea
fed birds and in all other groups where combination was used, however, serum
creatinine increased significantly (P<0.05) only in birds fed 2% urea+1 gm
copper sulphate or higher than these levels. The combined use of urea and copper
sulphate resulted in changes in moisture, ash, crude protein and potassium in
thigh and breast meat of broilers. The results of the present study suggest
damaging effects of higher levels of urea and copper, alone or together and
change in meat quality with lower protein contents and higher salt levels in
meat of broilers. Thus the use of urea and copper sulphate together is not
recommended in broilers, especially at 1% urea and 250mg copper sulphate or
higher. The results of the study can be helpful to poultry farmers, pathologists
and nutritionists who are involved in augmentation the meat quality and also to
general public with special reference to people having hypertension as the meat
salt levels may be higher with use of the these compounds in the broiler ration.