Copper: Nutrient, anti-nutrient and antibacterial for poultry

Inclusion of copper in animal diets is common practice. Nevertheless, there are several factors to consider. Here is an overview. Copper was first shown to be an essential nutrient for sustaining haemoglobin levels, even though blood contains little copper. Interest in copper nutrition intensified in the 1930s when it was demonstrated that certain cattle diseases were shown to be caused by a copper deficiency. These early studies led to extensive mapping of copper deficient areas around the g