The Effects of Organic Copper and Zinc Trace Minerals on the Live Weight and the Level of Accumulation and Elimination Levels of These Minerals in Kids

Abstract

This study was carried out to evaluate the effects of diet with organic copper (Cu) and zinc (Zn) which supplemented at the amount of 50% of recommendation levels for these minerals instead of its inorganic forms on live weight gain, accumulation levels of minerals in serum and hair and elimination levels of these minerals in faeces of goat kids. Kids were allocated equally two groups offered rations supplemented with organic (treatment, n=12) and inorganic (control, n=12) copper and zinc. It was offered 3.5 mg/kg DM copper chelate (2-hydroxy–4-methylthiobutyrate) and 10 mg/kg DM zinc chelate (2-hydroxy–4-methylthiobutyrate) to organic group. Seven mg/kg DM copper sulphate and 20 mg/kg DM zinc sulphate were supplemented to the ration of inorganic group kids. At the end of the experiment, average values of serum copper and zinc and hair copper and zinc were found higher than that of the beginning of the experiment in both groups. The differences between groups with regard to the mean values of live body weight, serum copper and zinc, hair copper and zinc were not statistically significant. The averages values of serum copper and zinc and hair copper in the organic group and the average value of the hair zinc level in the inorganic group were found to be numerically higher than that of another group. The averages copper and zinc levels in the faeces of the organic group were lower than that of the inorganic group. As a conclusion, although the supplementation of organic copper and zinc to the kid rations at level of 50% less than recommended levels it was determined that organic group had have similar growth performances, serum and hair values to that of the inorganic group. These values showed that organic minerals were better absorbed than inorganic ones. Furthermore, lower levels of faecal copper and faecal zinc values in the organic mineral group suggested that wastes of these minerals were scattered to the environment in lesser amounts and thus lead to lesser pollution.