Tolerance for excess basic zinc chloride and basic copper chloride in chicks

1. Four chick experiments were conducted to determine toxicity estimates for basic zinc chloride (BZC) and basic copper chloride (BCC), now being used as sources for these minerals. 2. In experiment 1, New Hampshire x Columbian crossbred chicks were fed 0, 500, 1000, 1500, 3000 and 5000 mg Zn/kg from BZC (Zn₅Cl₂(OH)₈). Broken-line regression analysis showed that the minimal toxic break points for chick weight gain and gain:food were 1720 and 2115 mg Zn/kg, respectively. 3. Crossbred chicks were fed 0, 150, 250, 500, 750 and 1000 mg Cu/kg from BCC (Cu₂(OH)₃C) in experiment 2. Regression analysis indicated that the minimal toxic break points for chick weight gain and gain:food were 642 and 781 mg Cu/kg, respectively. 4. In experiment 3, commercial broiler chicks were fed 0, 1500, 2000 and 2500 mg supplemental Zn/kg from BZC or 0, 500, 650 and 800 mg supplemental Cu/kg from BCC. Broiler chicks fed those high inclusion rates of Zn did not show reduced weight gain in comparison to chicks fed no supplemental Zn. All high concentrations of supplemental Cu depressed chick weight gain in comparison to control chicks. 5. Experiment 4 involved two separate 4 x 2 factorial designs with supplemental Zn (0, 2500, 3500 and 4500 mg/kg) or Cu (0, 500, 750 and 1000 mg/kg) and two breeds of chicks (crossbred and commercial). Significant interactions for weight gain, food intake, gain:food and liver Cu suggested that the crossbred and commercial chicks responded differently to high concentrations of supplementary dietary Cu.