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Effects of Dietary Copper (II) Sulfate and Copper Proteinate on Performance and Blood Indexes of Copper Status in Growing Pigs

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Abstract

160 crossbred (Duroc × Landrace ×Yorkshire) gilts averaged 21.25 kg body weight were used to study the effects of dietary copper (II) sulfate (CuSO4) and copper proteinate (Cu-Pr) on growth performance, plasma Cu concentration, ceruloplasmin activity, and erythrocyte Cu/Zn-superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity. All pigs were allotted to four treatments and fed with basal diets supplemented with 0 (control), 250 mg /kg Cu as CuSO4, and 50 and 100 mg/kg Cu as Cu-Pr. Growth performance was determined based on two growth phase (phase 1: days 0 to 15, phase 2: days 15 to 30). After 30 days of the treatment, 16 pig blood samples (four per treatment) were collected for indexes of copper status determination. The experimental results showed that compared with control, pigs fed with 250 mg Cu/kg as CuSO4 and 100 mg Cu/kg as Cu-Pr had higher average daily gain and average daily feed intake in the whole growth phase (d 0 to 30). In addition, 250 mg Cu/kg as CuSO4 and 100 mg/kg Cu as Cu-Pr enhanced plasma ceruloplasmin activity (P < 0.05), and 100 mg/kg Cu as Cu-Pr increased erythrocyte Cu/Zn-SOD activity (P < 0.01) compared with the control. There was no obvious treatment response on plasma Cu concentration in the present study.

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Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank the National Science and Technology Committee (Key Science Project “973,” no. 2004CB117506) and Zhejiang provincial Science and Technology Committee of China (Key Science Project, no. 2005C12010) for providing awards for financially supporting this research.

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  1. J. Feng

    Present address: , 1003 University City Blvd. Apt. G13, Blacksburg, VA, 24060, USA

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Animal Science College, The Key Laboratory of Molecular Animal Nutrition, Ministry of Education, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310029, People’s Republic of China

    J. Feng, W. Q. Ma, Y. Z. Wang & J. X. Liu

  2. Department of Animal and Poultry Sciences, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA, 24060, USA

    Z. L. Gu

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Correspondence to J. Feng.

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Feng, J., Ma, W.Q., Gu, Z.L. et al. 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, 171–178 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12011-007-8001-y

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