Copper content in parenchymatous organs of landrace pigs

Abstract

Results of the evaluation of copper levels in the liver, kidneys, lungs, and spleen of Landrace pigs are presented. Studies were performed on clinically healthy six-month-old animals bred in a large pig farm in Altai Krai. Animal housing conditions were standard, typical for meat-fattening feeding was used. The authors performed an elemental analysis of samples of parenchymal organs using atomic absorption spectrometry with flame and electrothermal atomization. The data were processed using Microsoft Office Excel and the R programming language in the RStudio data analysis environment version 2022.07.2+576 (RStudio, PBC). It was found that the distribution in the case of copper accumulation in the kidneys and lungs was different from usual, and the dispersions were not homogeneous. Based on the mean value and median, the authors established an increasing ranked series of the copper content in the organs: spleen < lungs < kidneys < liver, in numerical terms: 1: 1.1: 6.4: 7.5. Median copper values in the liver, kidneys, lungs, and spleen were 6.25; 5.02; 0.88; and 0.83 mg/ kg, respectively. More excellent uniformity is characteristic of copper accumulation in the lungs and spleen. Using the Kraskell-Wallis criterion, we found that the collection of copper varies significantly in the organs under study (H = 80.03, df = 3, p < 0.0001). Pairwise comparison showed significant differences for pairs: “liver - lungs” (p < 0.0001), “kidneys - lungs” (p < 0.0001), “liver - spleen” (p < 0.0001), “kidneys - spleen” (p < 0.0001). Cluster analysis revealed two groups: “lungs - spleen” and “liver - kidneys,” which differ significantly in the level of copper accumulation. The data obtained can be used to calculate the corresponding standard values of the copper content in the liver, kidneys, lungs, and spleen of Landrace pigs under the conditions of Western Siberia.