Copper: nutritional aspects of interest for animal production

In 1948 Braude observed that pigs licking Cu pipes grew faster. Later, Barber et al. reported increased growth with pharmacological concentrations of (Cu) 125 to 250 ppm (1957).

Because poultry and pigs are not ruminants and mainly consume grains such as corn and soybeans, they are less prone to present evident Cu and Zinc deficiencies. Considering they are in production environments where they are fed “balanced” diets.

However, it has been hypothesized that health could be affected without overt signs of traditional deficiency.

Metabolic mechanisms and functions

Based on body weight, the concentration of copper in liver and plasma is higher in a newborn mammal than at any other time within the life cycle.

In the sow,Cu, Fe and Zn concentrations in colostrum are higher than in milk. Mammals have been shown to provide hepatic copper to the fetus and newborn regardless of the mother’s copper status (Hill et al., 2013).

• Notably, homeostasis and ultimately protection against toxicity are handled differently in ruminant and non-ruminant animals (Suttle et al. , 2010).

Mehra and Brenner (1984) found a form of metallothionein (MT) in pigs fed high concentrations of Cu in the diet that was not present in sheep. This produced one of the first differences in copper handling mechanisms between sensitive and non-mineral-sensitive species.

Copper deficiency

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Source: Hill and Shannon, 2019. Biol Trace Elem Res. 2019; 188(1): 148–159.