Effects of copper and zinc sources and inclusion levels of copper on weanling pig performance and intestinal microbiota

Abstract

A 42-d experiment was conducted to evaluate the effect of Cu and Zn source and Cu level on pig performance, mineral status, bacterial modulation, and the presence of antimicrobial-resistant genes in isolates of Enterococcus spp. At weaning, 528 pigs (5.9 ± 0.50 kg) were allotted to 48 pens of a randomized complete block design in a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement with two Cu and Zn sources (SF: sulfate and HCl: hydroxychloride) and two Cu levels (15 and 160 mg/kg). As a challenge, the pigs were reared in dirty pens used by a previous commercial batch. Two-phase diets were offered: the pre-starter (PS) phase from day 1 to 14 and the starter phase (ST) from day 14 to 42. At days 14 and 42, pigs were individually weighed and blood samples from one pig per pen were taken. At the end of the experiment, one pig per pen was euthanized to collect the samples. Feeding high levels of Cu increased body weight (BW) from 16.6 to 17.7 kg (P < 0.001). Furthermore, average daily gain, gain to feed (G:F) ratio, average daily feed intake (ADFI), and mineral status were enhanced with Cu at 160 mg/kg (P < 0.05) compared with Cu at 15 mg/kg. There was no effect of the interaction between source × level on any of the growth performance responses except for ADFI (P = 0.004) and G:F (P = 0.029) at the end of the ST period and for G:F (P = 0.006) for entire nursery period (day 0 to 42). At the end of the ST period, pigs fed Cu at 160 mg/kg as HCl had not only higher ADFI but also lower G:F than those fed Cu as SF at 160 mg/kg. Meanwhile, for the entire nursery period, G:F did not differ between pigs fed Cu at 160 mg/kg as HCl or SF. In colonic digesta, the relative abundance of Streptococcus, Enterobacter, Escherichia, among others, decreased (P-adjust < 0.05), while Lachnospira and Roseburia tended (P-adjust < 0.10) to increase in pigs fed Cu at 160 mg/kg as HCl compared with those fed Cu SF at 160 mg/kg. An increase (P-adjust < 0.05) in Methanosphaera and Roseburia was observed in pigs fed Cu at 160 mg/kg. From colon digesta, Enterococcus spp. was isolated in 40 samples, being E. faecalis the most dominating (65%) regardless of the experimental diet. Genes of ermB (7.5%) and tetM (5%) were identified. No genes for Cu (tcrB) or vancomycin (vanA, vanB, vanC1, and vanC2) were detected. In conclusion, European Union permissible levels of Cu (160 mg/kg), of both sources, were able to increase performance, mineral status, and bacterial modulation compared with nutritional level. Different effects on growth performance, mineral tissue content, and microbial modulation were observed between Cu and Zn sources.

Effects of two zinc supplementation levels and two zinc and copper sources with different solubility characteristics on the growth performance, carcass characteristics and digestibility of growing‐finishing pigs

“…For instance, the supplementation of weanling pig diets with Cu hydroxychloride decreased the oxidative stress in the duodenum (Fry et al., 2012; Huang et al., 2015) and increased the serum activity of SOD and ceruloplasmin (Zheng et al., 2018) compared to Cu sulphate. Likewise, the supplementation of Cu and Zn hydroxychloride tended to increase serum GPx activity in weaned pigs (Villagómez‐Estrada, Pérez, Darwich, et al, 2020). Although the absorption and retention rates of trace mineral sources were not measured, a greater apparent total tract digestibility was observed for Zn and Cu hydroxychloride, suggesting a better absorption, and therefore less faecal excretion, compared to sulphates.…”

Dietary Preference of Newly Weaned Pigs and Nutrient Interactions According to Copper Levels and Sources with Different Solubility Characteristics

“…Since in the present study pigs were offered nutritional and high doses of Cu at the same time, no distinctions in growth performance could be established. However, in a previous study performed in our laboratory, the supplementation of weanling pig diets with 160 mg Cu/kg increased ADFI (360 to 379 g), gain to feed ratio and BW(16.6 to 17.7 kg) compared to diets with 15 mg/Cu kg after 42 days of administration ( p < 0.05) [ 29 ].…”

Early Nutrition and Risk of Type 1 Diabetes: The Role of Gut Microbiota

“…Animal studies showed that the selenium supplementation increases the microbial diversity, and that the many species are selenium-dependent competing with the host on the selenium availability ( 175 ) and contributing to the metabolism of the seleno-proteins ( 176 ). Zinc and copper supplementation in pigs at the weaning age showed also decrease levels of Streptococcus, Enterobacter and Escherichia , and increased levels of Lachnospira and Roseburia ( 177 ). No studies are available on the effect of minerals on the gut microbiota of children affected by T1D, however there are clear evidences of micronutrients deficiencies in T1D adult population ( 178 ) and of the beneficial effect of antioxidant vitamins C and E on endothelial function in T1D cohort ( 179 ).…”