Levels Of Cu Supplementation Research Articles

Dietary Copper Supplementation Increases Growth Performance by Increasing Feed Intake, Digestibility, and Antioxidant Activity in Rex Rabbits.

Copper is often used as a growth promoter, at the same time copper is one of the most important essential trace elements for fur animals, especially Rex rabbits. However, too much copper added to the diet may harm animal health, and copper excreted in feces can pollute the environment. In this study, 3-month-old Rex rabbits were randomly divided into four groups and fed a basal diet containing 0, 30, 60, or 120mg/kg Cu for 5 weeks. The diet supplemented with 30mg/kg Cu significantly increased (P < 0.05) the average daily feed intake (ADFI) and the average daily gain (ADG) and also the activity of serum Cu-Zn (zinc) superoxide dismutase and the digestibility of ether extract. Supplemental Cu up to 120mg/kg did not significantly adversely affect the Zn metabolism of growing Rex rabbits. Overall, the data in this study indicate that 30mg/kg is the optimal level of Cu supplementation in the diet of growing Rex rabbits. The results will provide a reference to improve the breeding of Rex rabbits and possibly other animals. In follow-up studies, the amount of copper in the diet should be reduced as much as possible from the baseline of 30mg/kg copper.

Dietary supplementation with copper oxide nanoparticles ameliorates chronic heat stress in broiler chickens

Aims Heat stress (HS) is one of the most serious problems of poultry production. Copper (Cu) is an essential trace element that plays a crucial role in the organism defence against oxidative stress. Because of the low mineral availability of the commercial Cu salts, in a novel approach, copper oxide nanoparticles (CuO-NPs) were used to alleviate chronic heat stress-induced degenerative changes in two commercial broiler strains (Ross 308 and Cobb 500). Methods Birds of each broiler strain were divided into six groups, with three replicates each. The first group (N1) received 100% of the recommended Cu requirements as CuO and was housed under normal temperature (24 ± 2°C), the second and third groups (N2 and N3 respectively) received 100% and 50% of the recommended Cu requirements as CuO-NPs and were housed under normal temperature. The fourth, fifth and sixth groups (H1, H2 and H3 respectively) received the same level of Cu supplementation as did the first, second and third groups respectively, and they were housed under normal temperature until the age of 21 days, and then exposed to HS (33 ± 2°C/5 h per day for two successive weeks). Key results Dietary supplementation with CuO-NPs during HS altered the HS-induced responses of the birds, as confirmed by decreased liver malondehyde (MDA) concentration and enhanced superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx1) mRNA expression levels and enzyme activities (P &amp;lt; 0.001), with a distinct linear association between the gene expression level and enzyme activity. Copper oxide NPs also reduced HS-induced degenerative changes in the hepatic tissue. These nanoparticles modulated, although variably, liver HS protein 70 (HSP70), HS protein 90 (HSP90) and HS factor 3 (HSF3) mRNA transcript levels among Ross and Cobb chickens following HS (P &amp;lt; 0.001). Performance of both strains under HS was improved (as shown by a marked reduction in body temperature (P &amp;lt; 0.001) and a higher bodyweight (P &amp;lt; 0.01)) when CuO-NPs were supplemented in the diet, especially for the birds receiving 50% of the recommended Cu requirement, with different responses being noted in the two strains studied. Conclusion CuO-NPs could be used as a good alternative source of Cu in poultry nutrition during summer. Implications Dietary supplementation of CuO-NPs, especially at 50% of the birds’ recommended requirement, during heat stress could enhance bird performance, lower bird temperature and increase its resistance to negative consequences of elevated temperature.

Histochemistry evaluation of the oxidative stress and the antioxidant status in Cu-supplemented cattle

The aim of this paper is to evaluate at a histopathological level the effect of the most commonly used copper (Cu) supplementation (15 mg/kg dry matter (DM)) in the liver of intensively reared beef cattle. This was done by a histochemistry evaluation of (i) the antioxidant capacity in the liver – by the determination of metallothioneins (MT) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) expression – as well as (ii) the possible induction of oxidative damage – by the determination of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), nitrotyrosine (NITT), malondialdehyde (MDA) and 8-oxoguanine (8-oxo) – that (iii) could increase apoptotic cell death – determined by cytochrome-c (cyto-c), caspase 1 (casp1) and terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL). Liver samples from Cu-supplemented (15 mg Cu sulphate/kg DM, n = 5) and non-supplemented calves (n = 5) that form part of other experiments to evaluate Cu status were collected at slaughter and processed for immunohistochemistry and TUNEL. MT expression was diffuse and SOD showed slight changes although without statistical significance. iNOS and NITT positive (+) cells significantly increased, mainly around the central veins in the animals from the Cu-supplemented group, whereas no differences were appreciated for the rest of the oxidative stress and apoptosis markers. Under the conditions of this study, which are the conditions of the cattle raised in intensive systems in NW Spain and also many European countries, routinely Cu supplementation increased the risk of the animals to undergo subclinical Cu toxicity, with no significant changes in the Cu storage capacity and the antioxidant defensive system evaluated by MT and SOD expression, but with a significant and important increase of oxidative damage measured by iNOS and NITT. The results of this study indicated that iNOS and NITT could be used as early markers of initial pathological changes in the liver caused by Cu supplementation in cattle, although more studies in cattle under different levels of Cu supplementation are needed.

Effects of supplemental copper-methionine chelate and copper-soy proteinate on the performance, blood parameters, liver mineral content, and intestinal microflora of broiler chickens

SUMMARY In this study, we investigated the effect of dietary supplementation of Cu-Met chelate (CuMet) and Cu-soy proteinate (Cu-SP) on the performance, blood parameters, liver mineral content, and intestinal microflora in broiler chickens. A total of 1,008 hatched Ross broiler chickens were randomly assigned to 1 of 6 dietary treatments (T): T1, control; T2, antibiotic (6 ppm of avilamycin); T3, 50 ppm of Cu as Cu-Met; T4, 100 ppm of Cu as Cu-Met; T5, 50 ppm of Cu as Cu-SP; and T6, 100 ppm of Cu as Cu-SP. Each treatment had 3 replicates of 56 birds (28 birds of each sex). During the 4-wk feeding period, the BW increase of birds in the antibiotic treatment was 3.25% and those of birds in the 100 ppm of Cu treatments were 2.67% on average compared with the control group. The production efficiency factor {[livability (%) × live weight (kg)/age (d) × FCR] × 100} was increased by 5.23% for birds in the antibiotic treatment and by 0.7 to 7.8% for birds in Cu treatments, among which the treatment with 100 ppm of Cu as Cu-SP was highest. The red blood cell level, hematocrit level, and mean corpuscular volume of birds in the Cu treatments were lower than were those of birds in the control group. Copper concentration in the liver increased as the level of Cu supplementation increased. The populations of lactobacilli and total bacteria increased, and that of Escherichia coli decreased as the level of Cu increased, whereas all microbes, including Clostridium perfringens, decreased in the antibiotic treatment.

EFFECTS OF DIFFERENT LEVELS OF COPPER ON BROILER PERFORMANCE

Two hundreds and forty, one day old chicks were allocated randomly into 4 copper treatments (60 chicks each )in three replicates (20 chicksreplicate. They were housed in 12 pens. each pen was considered as experimental replicate . Copper levels, used as copper sulfate (Cu2SO4) were 0, 100, 200 and 300 mg/ kg diets. The criteria of response were body weight, weight gain, feed conversion, tibia measurements and mineralization and carcass traits.The experimental period was 35 days . The results indicated that copper supplemented groups were recorded significantly higher values during the 4th and 5th week for body weight and during the grower and overall periods for body weight gain compared with the control group which recorded the lowest value for the same parameters and periods mentioned above. However, there were no significant differences in body weight and body weight gain during the 2nd week of the experiment among the different groups. On the other hand, there were no significant differences among tested groups for feed intake and feed conversion ratio for all experimental periods except the grower period where birds in the highest two level groups of copper supplementation consumed more feed compared with the other groups. Broiler groups fed diets supplemented with 100 and 300 ppm Cu gave the best values of feed conversion ratio compared with either 0 or 200 ppm Cu groups. No significant effects were detected in relative weights of carcass, liver, gizzard, heart, spleen, edible parts, inedible parts, fat and tibia due to feeding diets containing different levels of Cu supplementation. Also, there were no significant differences between groups fed different levels of Cu supplementation in all tibia measurements and mineralization except for group fed 300ppm Cu which recorded a significant decrease in Ca and P concentrations compared with the other groups. It could be concluded from results obtained that copper sulfate supplementation up to 200 ppm to broiler diets had beneficial effect on growth performance under this study and without any adverse effects on carcass traits

The impact of high zinc intake on the copper status of dairy cows in New Zealand

AIM: To determine the effect of a high Zn intake on the concentration of Cu in the liver of dairy cows. METHODS: Sixty non-pregnant, non-lactating, mixed-age Friesian dairy cows were randomised into four groups: unsupplemented control; thrice weekly oral treatment with 350 mg Cu (equivalent to 150 mg Cu/day) as CuSO4.5H2O; a ZnO bolus releasing 6.628 g Zn/day given on Days 0 and 28; and oral treatment with Cu and ZnO boluses. The cows were fed baled silage for the duration of the study (56 days). On Days -12, 14, 28, 42 and 56 liver biopsies were collected for determination of concentrations of Cu, and blood samples for measurement of Cu and Zn in serum. RESULTS: Mean concentrations of Cu in the liver of unsupplemented control cows decreased from an initial 717 (SE 108.5) to 396 (SE 88.0) µmol/kg fresh tissue on Day 28, and then increased to 542 (SE 105.3) µmol/kg fresh tissue on Day 42, before decreasing to 434 (SE 81.6) µmol/kg fresh tissue on Day 56. Administration of ZnO resulted in no change in the concentration of Cu in liver compared with controls. Supplementing with 150 mg Cu/day significantly increased the concentration of Cu in liver, compared with controls, to 1,074 (SE 105.2) µmol/kg fresh tissue on Day 56. Treatment with ZnO significantly reduced concentrations of Cu in liver on Day 56, compared with Cu-supplemented cows, to 786 (SE 107.7) µmol/kg fresh tissue. The treatments had no effect on concentrations of Cu in serum. In cows given the ZnO, mean concentrations of Zn in serum increased from 17 (SE 0.6) on Day 0 to 30 (SE 1.7) µmol/L on Day 14, then decreased to 20 (SE 1.3) µmol/L on Day 28, increased to 40 (SE 2.9) µmol/L on Day 42, then decreased to 24 (1.16) µmol/L on Day 56. In cows given ZnO plus Cu, concentrations of Zn in serum were significantly greater than in cows only given ZnO on Day 41 (46 (SE 2.71) vs 35 (SE 3.23) µmol/L, respectively). Mean concentrations of Cu, Mo and Zn in the baled silage were 4.4, 0.5 and 21 mg/kg dry matter (DM), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: High Zn intakes used in the prevention of facial eczema in dairy cows had little effect on concentrations of Cu in liver when the Cu intake was low, but decreased the efficacy of a Cu supplement by about 50%. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: When using Zn as a prophylactic treatment for facial eczema the level of Cu supplementation should be adjusted, which may mean that in some situations it is recommended not to supplement cows with Cu.

Different Sources and Levels of Copper Supplementation on Performance and Nutrient Utilization of Castrated Black Bengal (Capra hircus) Kids Diet

Twenty eight 3-4 month old castrated Black Bengal kids (Capra hircus) were used to determine the effects of source and level of dietary copper (Cu) concentration on their performance and nutrient utilization. Cu was supplemented (0, 10, 20 and 30 mg/kg diet DM) as copper sulfate (, ) or copper proteinate (Cu-P). Kids were fed a basal diet containing maize (19.5%), soybean (17.0%), deoiled rice bran (56.5%), molasses (4.0%), di-calcium phosphate and salt (1.0% each) and mineral and vitamin mixture (0.5% each) supplements at 3.5% of body weight to meet NRC (1981) requirements for protein, energy, macro minerals and micro minerals, excluding Cu. The basal diet contained 5.7 mg Cu/kg, 122.5 mg Fe/kg, 110 mg Zn/kg, 0.26 mg Mo/kg and 0.32% S. or Cu-P was added to the basal diet at the rate of 10, 20 and 30 mg/kg. Kids were housed in a well ventilated shed with facilities for individual feeding in aluminum plated metabolic cages. Blood samples were collected from the jugular vein on d 0, 30, 60 and 90 to determine hemoglobin (Hb), packed cell volume (PCV), total erythrocyte count (TEC), total leukocyte count (TLC) and serum enzymes (alkaline phosphatase, alanine transferase and aspertate transferase). A metabolism trial of 6 days duration was conducted after 90 days of experimental feeding. Statistical analysis revealed that source and level of Cu supplementation improved live weight gain (p supplementation. Cu-P increased digestibility of ether extract (EE, p0.10) by both source and dose of Cu, N retention was affected (p interaction (p0.10) by the source of Cu but increasing dose of Cu increased (p) was higher (p interaction. It was concluded that supplementation of Cu from different sources and varying dose level in a concentrate based diet may improve performance, nutrient utilization and plane of nutrition in castrated Black Bengal kids. The effects on performance and nutrient utilization are more pronounced with Cu-P than supplementation. Higher dose of Cu showed better result than lower dose.

Effect of copper sources and levels on serum lipid profiles in Black Bengal (C aprahircus) kids

Twenty eight 2–3 month old castrated male Black Bengal kids ( Capra hircus) were used to determine the effects of dietary Cu concentration on lipid metabolism. These kids were randomly assigned to one of seven treatments in a ((2 × 3) + 1) factorial arrangement. Factors were two sources of Cu (CuSO 4 versus Cu proteinate) fed at three dietary levels (10, 20 or 30 mg/kg) and the control group, where neither CuSO 4 nor Cu proteinate were supplemented. Kids were fed a basal diet containing maize (19.5%), soybean (17.0%), deoiled rice bran (56.5%), molasses (4.0%), di-calcium phosphate and salt (1.0% each), and mineral and vitamin mixture (0.5% each) supplements, at 3.5% of BW to meet NRC requirements for protein, energy, macro minerals and micro minerals, excluding Cu. The basal diet (DM basis) contained 5.7 mg Cu/kg, 122.5 mg Fe/kg, 110 mg Zn/kg, 0.26 mg Mo/kg and 0.32% S. CuSO 4 or Cu proteinate (Cu-P) was added to the basal diet at the rate of 10, 20 and 30 mg/kg. Kids were housed in a well-ventilated shed with facilities for individual feeding in aluminum plated metabolic cages in an open-sided barn. Blood samples were collected on Days 0, 30, 60 and 90 to determine serum cholesterol, high density lipoprotein (HDL), total lipid and phospholipids. Kids were slaughtered after metabolism trial and liver tissues were collected to determine the copper and zinc concentrations. Kids receiving Cu-P showed higher ( P < 0.05) HDL, total lipid and phospholipid concentrations. Increase in dietary level of Cu significantly decreased ( P < 0.05) serum cholesterol and increased serum HDL, total lipid and phospholipid concentrations. There was an increasing ( P < 0.05) trend in liver Cu with the increased dietary level of Cu supplementation irrespective of source, but the increasing rate was greater with CuSO 4 than Cu-P supplementation. Kids’ diet containing 30 mg/kg CuSO 4 had 26% more liver Cu than those fed iso-amounts of Cu-P. Fecal Cu excretion was increased with the increasing dietary level of Cu, and excretion was reduced by the use of Cu-P in the diet. In conclusion, dietary supplementation of organic Cu in the form of copper proteinate had significant effects on lipid metabolism in goat kids. There was an increase in accumulation of Cu in the liver and excretion of Cu in feces with the increase of dietary level of Cu in the diet of Black Bengal kids.

Effect of dietary mannan oligosaccharides and(or) pharmacological additions of copper sulfate on growth performance and immunocompetence of weanling and growing/finishing pigs.

Two experiments were conducted to determine the efficacy of mannan oligosaccharides (MOS) fed at two levels of Cu on growth and feed efficiency of weanling and growing-finishing pigs, as well as the effect on the immunocompetence of weanling pigs. In Exp. 1, 216 barrows (6 kg of BW and 18 d of age) were penned in groups of six (9 pens/treatment). Dietary treatments were arranged as a 2 x 2 factorial consisting of two levels of Cu (basal level or 175 ppm supplemental Cu) with and without MOS (0.2%). Diets were fed from d 0 to 38 after weaning. Blood samples were obtained to determine lymphocyte proliferation in vitro. From d 0 to 10, ADG, ADFI, and gain:feed (G:F) increased when MOS was added to diets containing the basal level of Cu, but decreased when MOS was added to diets containing 175 ppm supplemental Cu (interaction, P < 0.01, P < 0.10, and P < 0.05, respectively). Pigs fed diets containing 175 ppm Cu from d 10 to 24 and d 24 to 38 had greater (P < 0.05) ADG and ADFI than those fed the basal level of Cu regardless of MOS addition. Pigs fed diets containing MOS from d 24 to 38 had greater ADG (P < 0.05) and G:F (P < 0.10) than those fed diets devoid of MOS. Lymphocyte proliferation was not altered by dietary treatment. In Exp. 2, 144 pigs were divided into six pigs/pen (six pens/treatment). Dietary treatments were fed throughout the starter (20 to 32 kg BW), grower (32 to 68 kg BW), and finisher (68 to 106 kg BW) phases. Diets consisted of two levels of Cu (basal level or basal diet + 175 ppm in starter and grower diets and 125 ppm in finisher diets) with and without MOS (0.2% in starter, 0.1% in grower, and 0.05% in finisher). Pigs fed supplemental Cu had greater (P < 0.05) ADG and G:F during the starter and grower phases compared to pigs fed the basal level of Cu. During the finisher phase, ADG increased when pigs were fed MOS in diets containing the basal level of Cu, but decreased when MOS was added to diets supplemented with 125 ppm Cu (interaction, P < 0.05). Results from this study indicate the response of weanling pigs fed MOS in phase 1 varied with level of dietary Cu. However, in phase 2 and phase 3, diets containing either MOS or 175 ppm Cu resulted in improved performance. Pharmacological Cu addition improved gain and efficiency during the starter and grower phases in growing-finishing pigs, while ADG response to the addition of MOS during the finisher phase seems to be dependent upon the level of Cu supplementation.

Efficacy of a copper-lysine complex as a growth promotant for weanling pigs.

Eight 28- or 35-d experiments involving, 1,301 crossbred pigs weaned at 30 +/- 2 d of age (7.0 to 7.9 kg initial weight) were conducted to evaluate the efficacy of a Cu-lysine complex (CuLys; CuPLEX 80 in Exp. 1 to 5, and CuPLEX 100 in Exp. 6 to 8) at dietary concentrations of 50, 100, or 200 ppm as a growth promoter for weanling pigs. CuPLEX 80 contained 50% Cu in the complexed from (1 mol Cu:2 mol lysine) and 50% Cu as CuSO4.5H2O (CuSO4). All the Cu in CuPLEX 100 was in the complexed form. In general, the addition of Cu from CuSO4 or either CuLys source improved pig performance. Overall, averaged across Cu sources, there were no differences between 100 and 200 ppm of Cu in the magnitude of improvement over controls for daily gain (14.0 vs 14.3%), daily feed (12.1 vs 10.7%), or feed:gain ratio (1.6 vs 3.0%). Averaged across levels of Cu supplementation, the percentage improvements from CuLys additions were greater than those for CuSO4 for growth rate (16.8 vs 11.5%; P < .03) and feed intake (14.1 vs 8.7%' P < .01), but not for efficiency of feed utilization (2.2 vs 2.4%). These trends were similar for both sources of CuLys. Liver Cu concentrations of pigs receiving 200 ppm of Cu in the totally complexed form (CuPLEX-100) were lower (P < .025) than concentrations in those receiving 200 ppm of Cu from CuSO4 (111 vs 221 ppm).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Toxicity and tissue accumulation of copper in chicks fed casein and soy-based diets

Experiments were conducted to study Cu toxicity in chicks fed casein or soy-containing diets containing graded levels of excess CuSO4.5H2O. Differences between diets in measures of Cu toxicity were pronounced. Addition of 800 mg of Cu/kg to a casein-dextrose semipurified diet decreased weight gains by 63%, but the same addition of Cu to a corn-soybean meal complex diet decreased gains by only 8%. At all levels of Cu supplementation (100, 200, 400 or 800 mg/kg), Cu deposition in the liver was increased markedly in chicks fed casein diets compared with those fed the complex diet. Substituting soy-protein concentrate for casein in the semipurified diet resulted in a marked decrease in Cu toxicity as measured by weight gain reductions and tissue accumulation of Cu.