Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Effects of Dietary Copper and Zinc Supplementation on Growth Performance, Tissue Mineral Retention, Antioxidant Status, and Fur Quality in Growing-Furring Blue Foxes (Alopex lagopus)

  • Published:
Biological Trace Element Research Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

A 4 × 2 factorial experiment with four supplemental levels of copper (0, 20, 40, or 60 mg copper per kg dry matter) from copper sulfate and two supplemental levels of zinc (40 or 200 mg zinc per kg dry matter) from zinc sulfate was conducted to investigate the effects of dietary copper and zinc supplementation on growth performance, tissue mineral retention, antioxidant status, and fur quality in growing-furring blue foxes. One hundred and twenty healthy 15-week-old male blue foxes were randomly allocated to eight dietary treatments with 15 replicates per treatment for a 70-day trial from mid-September to pelting in December. The average daily gain and feed conversion ratio were increased with copper supplementation in the first 35 days as well as the overall period (P < 0.05). In addition, copper supplementation tended to increase feed intake during the first 35 days (P < 0.10). Diets supplemented with 200 mg/kg zinc did not affect body gain (P > 0.10) and feed intake (P > 0.10) but improved feed conversion (P < 0.05) compared with those supplemented 40 mg/kg zinc throughout the experiment. No copper × zinc interaction was observed for growth performance except that a tendency (P = 0.09) was found for feed intake in the first 35 days. Supplementation of copper or zinc improved crude fat digestibility (P < 0.01) but had no effects on the digestibility of other nutrients. Fecal copper was increased with both copper (P < 0.01) and zinc addition (P < 0.05). However, fecal zinc was affected only by dietary zinc addition (P < 0.01). Mineral contents in serum and kidney were not affected by dietary treatments (P > 0.05). However, the level of copper in the liver was increased with copper supplementation (P < 0.05) and tended to decrease with zinc supplementation (P = 0.08). Dietary zinc addition tended to increase the activity of alkaline phosphatase (P = 0.07). The activities of copper-zinc superoxide dismutase and catalase tended to increase by copper (P = 0.08) and zinc addition (P = 0.05). Moreover, a copper × zinc interaction was observed for catalase in the experiment (P < 0.05). Serum malondialdehyde concentration decreased with the increasing of dietary copper and zinc levels (P < 0.05). The activity of glutathione peroxidase tended to increase by copper addition (P = 0.09). For fur quality, foxes fed diets supplemented with high copper had larger skin length and darker pelts than those fed the basal diet without copper addition (P < 0.05). In conclusion, this study demonstrated that dietary copper and zinc supplementation can improve growth by increasing feed intake and improving fat digestibility. Additionally, copper and zinc can enhance the antioxidant capacity of blue foxes. This study also indicates that additional zinc up to 200 mg/kg did not exert significant adverse effects on the copper metabolism of growing-furring blue foxes.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Leoschke WL (2011) Nutrition and nutritional physiology of the fox-A historical perspective. Trafford Publishing, Indiana

    Google Scholar 

  2. Rimeslatten H (1959) Trials with vitamins, animal liver and trace elements for silver fox, blue fox and mink. Dansk Pelsdyravl 22:273–276

    Google Scholar 

  3. Aulerich RJ, Ringer RK (1977) Can copper sulphate in mink feed give advantages? [Swedish]. Vara Palsdjur 48(3):103–105

    Google Scholar 

  4. Aulerich RJ, Ringer RK, Bleavins MR, Napolitano A (1982) Effects of supplemental dietary copper on growth, reproductive performance and kit survival of standard dark mink and the acute toxicity of copper to mink. J Anim Sci 55(2):337–343

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. Zhong W, Liu H, Luo G, Chang Z, Liu F, Zhao J, Li D, Yue Z, Zhang H, Li G (2014) Dietary copper supplementation improves pelt characteristics of female silver fox (Vulpes fulva) during the winter fur-growing season. Anim Sci J 85(7):757–762. doi:10.1111/asj.12208

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  6. Zhong W, Liu F, Zhao J, Zhang T, Chang Z, Bao K, Zhang H, Xu C, Wang X, Li G (2013) Effects of different copper sources on growing performance, nutrient digestibility and blood biochemical parameters of female silver foxes during growth period. Chin J Anim Nutr 25(10):2489–2496

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Liu Z, Zhang T, Wu X, Gao X, Yang F, Xing X (2013) Effect of dietary copper level on growth performance, digestibility of nutrients and nitrogen metabolism of growing blue foxes. Chin J Anim Nutr 25(7):1497–1503

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Suttle NF (2010) Mineral nutrition of livestock, 4th edn. MPG Books Group, London

    Book  Google Scholar 

  9. Shils ME, Shike M, Ross C, Caballero B, Cousins RJ (2006) Modern nutrition in health and disease, 10th edn. Lippincott, Williams and Wilkins, Philadelphia

    Google Scholar 

  10. Magee AC, Matrone G (1960) Studies on growth, copper metabolism and iron metabolism of rats fed high levels of zinc. J Nutr 72:233–242

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  11. WHO (1998) Copper. Environmental health criteria 200. World Health Organization, Geneva

    Google Scholar 

  12. Oestreicher P, Cousins RJ (1985) Copper and zinc absorption in the rat: mechanism of mutual antagonism. J Nutr 115(2):159–166

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  13. Harris ED (1997) Copper. Handbook of nutritional essential mineral elements. Marcel Dekker, New York

    Google Scholar 

  14. Botash AS, Nasca J, Dubowy R, Weinberger HL, Oliphant M (1992) Zinc-induced copper deficiency in an infant. Am J Dis Child 146(6):709–711

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  15. Wapnir RA, Balkman C (1991) Inhibition of copper absorption by zinc. Effect of histidine. Biol Trace Elem Res 29(3):193–202

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  16. NRC (1982) Nutrient requirements of mink and foxes. 2nd rev. National Academy Press, Washington, DC

  17. Geng YY, Yang FH, Xing XM, Gao XH (2012) Effects of dietary fat levels on nutrient digestibility and production performance of growing‐furring blue foxes (Alopex lagopus). J Anim Physiol Anim Nutr 96(4):610–617

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. Dahlman T, Kiiskinen T, Mäkelä J, Niemelä P, Syrjälä-Qvist L, Valaja J, Jalava T (2002) Digestibility and nitrogen utilisation of diets containing protein at different levels and supplemented with dl-methionine, l-methionine and l-lysine in blue fox (Alopex lagopus). Anim Feed Sci Technol 98(3):219–235

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. Dahlman T, Valaja J, Venalainen E, Jalava T, Polonen I (2004) Optimum dietary amino acid pattern and limiting order of some essential amino acids for growing-furring blue foxes (Alopex lagopus). Anim Sci 78(1):77–86

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. AOAC (2003) Official methods of analysis. Association of Official Analytical Chemists, Inc, Arlington, 1298pp

    Google Scholar 

  21. Underwood EJ, Suttle NF (1999) The mineral nutrition of livestock. CABI Publishing, Wallingford

  22. Armstrong TA, Cook DR, Ward MM, Williams CM, Spears JW (2004) Effect of dietary copper source (cupric citrate and cupric sulfate) and concentration on growth performance and fecal copper excretion in weanling pigs. J Anim Sci 82(4):1234–1240

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  23. Cromwell GL, Stahly TS, Monegue HJ (1989) Effects of source and level of copper on performance and liver copper stores in weanling pigs. J Anim Sci 67(11):2996–3002

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  24. Pesti GM, Bakalli RI (1996) Studies on the feeding of cupric sulfate pentahydrate and cupric citrate to broiler chickens. Poult Sci 75(9):1086–1091

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  25. King JOL (1975) The feeding of copper sulphate to growing rabbits. Br Vet J 131(1):70–75

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  26. Bassuny SM (1991) The effect of copper sulfate supplement on rabbit performance under Egyptian conditions. J Appl Rabbit Res 14(2):93–97

    Google Scholar 

  27. Dove CR (1995) The effect of copper level on nutrient utilization of weanling pigs. J Anim Sci 73(1):166–171

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  28. Luo XG, Dove CR (1996) Effect of dietary copper and fat on nutrient utilization, digestive enzyme activities, and tissue mineral levels in weanling pigs. J Anim Sci 74(8):1888–1896

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  29. Hernandez A, Pluske JR, D’Souza DN, Mullan BP (2008) Levels of copper and zinc in diets for growing and finishing pigs can be reduced without detrimental effects on production and mineral status. Animal 2(12):1763–1771. doi:10.1017/S1751731108003182

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  30. Li J, Yan L, Zheng X, Liu G, Zhang N, Wang Z (2008) Effect of high dietary copper on weight gain and neuropeptide Y level in the hypothalamus of pigs. J Trace Elem Med Biol 22(1):33–38. doi:10.1016/j.jtemb.2007.10.003

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  31. McClain C, Stuart M, Kasarskis E, Humphries L (1993) Zinc, appetite regulation and eating disorders. Prog Clin Biol Res 380:47–64

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  32. Hahn JD, Baker DH (1993) Growth and plasma zinc responses of young pigs fed pharmacologic levels of zinc. J Anim Sci 71(11):3020–3024

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  33. Kim ES, Noh SK, Koo SI (1998) Marginal zinc deficiency lowers the lymphatic absorption of alpha-tocopherol in rats. J Nutr 128(2):265–270

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  34. Noh SK, Koo SI (2001) Intraduodenal infusion of lysophosphatidylcholine restores the intestinal absorption of vitamins A and E in rats fed a low-zinc diet. Exp Biol Med 226(4):342–348

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  35. Josko O (2011) Copper and zinc, biological role and significance of copper/zinc imbalance. J Clin Toxicol S3:001

    Google Scholar 

  36. Bremner I (1987) Involvement of metallothionein in the hepatic metabolism of copper. J Nutr 117(1):19–29

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  37. Bradley BD, Graber G, Condon RJ, Frobish LT (1983) Effects of graded levels of dietary copper on copper and iron concentrations in swine tissues. J Anim Sci 56(3):625–630

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  38. Zhang SS, Noordin MM, Rahman SO, Haron J (2000) Effects of copper overload on hepatic lipid peroxidation and antioxidant defense in rats. Vet Hum Toxicol 42(5):261–264

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  39. Chowdhury SD, Paik IK, Namkung H, Lim HS (2004) Responses of broiler chickens to organic copper fed in the form of copper–methionine chelate. Anim Feed Sci Technol 115(3–4):281–293. doi:10.1016/j.anifeedsci.2004.03.009

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  40. Georgievskii VI, Annenkov BN, Samokhin VI (1979) Mineral nutrition of animals. Butterworths, London

    Google Scholar 

  41. NRC (2005) Mineral tolerance of animals, 2nd edn. National Academy Press, Washington, DC

    Google Scholar 

  42. Sun JY, Jing MY, Weng XY, Fu LJ, Xu ZR, Zi NT, Wang JF (2005) Effects of dietary zinc levels on the activities of enzymes, weights of organs, and the concentrations of zinc and copper in growing rats. Biol Trace Elem Res 107(2):153–165. doi:10.1385/BTER:107:2:153

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  43. Wang Y, Tang JW, Ma WQ, Feng J, Feng J (2010) Dietary zinc glycine chelate on growth performance, tissue mineral concentrations, and serum enzyme activity in weanling piglets. Biol Trace Elem Res 133(3):325–334. doi:10.1007/s12011-009-8437-3

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  44. Feng J, Ma WQ, Gu ZL, Wang YZ, Liu JX (2007) Effects of dietary copper (II) sulfate and copper proteinate on performance and blood indexes of copper status in growing pigs. Biol Trace Elem Res 120(1–3):171–178. doi:10.1007/s12011-007-8001-y

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  45. Seiji M, Miyazaki K (1971) Melanization and tyrosinase activity. J Invest Dermatol 57(5):316–322

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  46. Lai IK, Klaren WD, Li M, Wels B, Simmons DL, Olivier AK, Haschek WM, Wang K, Ludewig G, Robertson LW (2013) Does dietary copper supplementation enhance or diminish PCB126 toxicity in the rodent liver? Chem Res Toxicol. doi:10.1021/tx400049s

    PubMed Central  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  47. Bush CR, Restum JC, Bursian SJ, Aulerich RJ (1995) Responses of growing mink to supplemental dietary copper and biotin. Scientifur 19(2):141–147

    Google Scholar 

  48. Wu X, Liu Z, Zhang T, Yang Y, Yang F, Gao X (2014) Effects of dietary copper on nutrient digestibility, tissular copper deposition and fur quality of growing-furring mink (Mustela vison). Biol Trace Elem Res 158(2):166–175. doi:10.1007/s12011-014-9933-7

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

The funding for this study was from the National Innovation Program of Agricultural Science and Technology in CAAS (No. 2206030230261000). The staff of the State Key Laboratory for Molecular Biology of Special Economical Animals is gratefully acknowledged for their valuable help in carrying out these experiments.

Conflict of Interest

The authors declare that they have no competing interests.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Feed Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, 100081, China

    Zhi Liu, Xuezhuang Wu, Jungang Guo & Xiuhua Gao

  2. Institute of Special Wild Economic Animals and Plants, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Changchun City, Jilin, 130112, China

    Tietao Zhang, Fuhe Yang & Xiumei Xing

  3. State Key Lab for Molecular Biology of Special Economic Animals, Changchun City, Jilin, 130112, China

    Zhi Liu, Tietao Zhang, Fuhe Yang & Xiumei Xing

Authors
  1. Zhi Liu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Xuezhuang Wu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Tietao Zhang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Jungang Guo
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Xiuhua Gao
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Fuhe Yang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. Xiumei Xing
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Xiuhua Gao.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Liu, Z., Wu, X., Zhang, T. et al. Effects of Dietary Copper and Zinc Supplementation on Growth Performance, Tissue Mineral Retention, Antioxidant Status, and Fur Quality in Growing-Furring Blue Foxes (Alopex lagopus). Biol Trace Elem Res 168, 401–410 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12011-015-0376-6

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12011-015-0376-6

Keywords

Search

Navigation