SUPPLEMENTAL COPPER FOR SWINE: EFFECTS UPON HEMOGLOBIN, SERUM PROTEINS AND TISSUE COPPER LEVELS

Abstract

Pigs, from an experiment in which 0 and 0.10% supplemental CuSO4∙5H2O in diets were compared, were used to obtain information on the effects of supplementary copper on certain tissues. Blood hemoglobin values from weaning to market weight were not affected by the addition of supplemental copper. Serum copper levels were elevated in pigs receiving the copper-supplemented diet. This effect was most noticeable during the initial growth period up to 17 kg liveweight. Total serum protein and serum protein fractions were not consistently affected by dietary copper supplementation. Tissue copper levels in the liver, kidneys, heart, spleen, muscle and hair were obtained at different stages of growth. Comparative copper levels between pigs were variable, particularly for those pigs receiving the copper-supplemented ration, but distribution of copper between the tissues was relatively constant. The liver and kidneys were tissues which accumulated high levels of copper. Hair copper was increased when the dietary copper level was increased, but the heart, spleen and muscle had similar levels of copper in pigs fed either diet. The data suggest that during the early stages of growth there may be a metabolic requirement for copper above that normally available from the diet.