Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Source of Copper May Have Regressive Effects on Serum Cholesterol and Urea Nitrogen Among Male Fattening Lambs

  • Published:
Biological Trace Element Research Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

An experiment was conducted to determine the effect of dietary copper (Cu) on mineral profile, hematological parameters, and lipid metabolism in lambs. Eighteen Zandi male lambs (approximately 3 months of age; 17.53 ± 1.6 kg of body weight) were housed in individual pens and were assigned randomly to one of three treatments. Treatments consisted of (1) control (no supplemental Cu), (2) 10 mg Cu/kg dry matter (DM) from copper sulfate (CuS), and (3) 10 mg Cu/kg DM from Cu proteinate (CuP). The Cu concentration was 8.2 mg/kg DM in the basal diet. Blood was sampled from the jugular vein at the beginning of the study (enrollment, before feeding Cu supplement) and at days 25, 50, and 70 of experiment. The amounts of total serum glucose, urea nitrogen, calcium, phosphorus, iron, copper, zinc, and lipids and hematological parameters were measured. Average daily gain and feed efficiency were improved (P < 0.05) with Cu supplementation and were better for the lambs fed diet supplemented with CuP. The concentrations of serum Ca, P, and Zn were not affected by source of Cu in the diet. However, Fe concentration was lower (P < 0.01) in the Cu-supplemented groups. Experimental treatment had no significant effects on the hematological parameters. The serum glucose concentration was not affected by treatments. However, the urea nitrogen concentrations were significantly affected (P < 0.05) by added Cu and was lower for CuP group as compared to the lambs in the CuS and control groups. Addition of Cu had no influence (P > 0.05) on the serum triglyceride concentration, but lambs fed with CuP supplement had lower (P < 0.05) serum cholesterol than the CuS and control animals. These results indicated that CuP supplemented at 10 mg/kg DM improved gain and enhanced the efficiency of nitrogen in male lambs.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Davis GK, Mertz W (1987) Copper. In: Mertz W (ed) Trace elements in humans and animal nutrition. Academic Press, San Diego, pp 301–364

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  2. Klevay LM (1973) Hypercholesterolemia in rats produced by an increase in the ratio of zinc to copper ingested. Am J Clin Nutr 26:1060–1068

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  3. Petering HG, Murthy L, O’Flaherity E (1977) Influence of dietary copper and zinc on rat lipid metabolism. J Agric Food Chem 25:1105–1109

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. Pesti GM, Bakalli RI (1996) Studies on the feeding of cupric sulfate pentahydrate and cupric citrate to broiler chickens. Poult Sci 75:1086–1091

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. Engle TE, Spears JW, Armstrong TA, Wright CL, Odle J (2000) Effects of dietary copper source and concentration on carcass characteristics and lipid and cholesterol metabolism in growing and finishing steers. J Anim Sci 78:1053–1059

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  6. Engle TE, Spears W (2000) Dietary copper effects on lipid metabolism, performance, and ruminal fermentation in finishing steers. J Anim Sci 78:2452–2458

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. Engle TE, Fellner V, Spears JW (2001) Copper status, serum cholesterol concentrations, and milk fatty acid profile in Holstein cows fed varying concentrations of copper. J Dairy Sci 84:2308–2313

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. Ward JD, Spears JW, Kegley EB (1996) Bioavailability of Cu proteinate and Cu carbonate relative to CuSO4 in cattle. J Dairy Sci 79:127–132

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  9. Jain NC (1986) Schalm’s veterinary hematology. Lea and Febiger, Philadelphia, pp 66–67

    Google Scholar 

  10. SAS Institute (2000) User’s guide. Version 9.1: statistics. SAS Institute, Cary

    Google Scholar 

  11. Solaiman SG, Maloney MA, Qureshi MA, Davis G, D’Andrea G (2001) Effects of high copper supplements on performance, health, plasma copper, and enzymes in goats. Small Rumin Res 41:127–139

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  12. Solaiman SG, Shoemaker CE, Jones W, Kerth CR (2006) The effects of high levels of supplemental copper on the serum lipid profile, carcass traits, and carcass composition of goat kids. J Anim Sci 84:171–177

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  13. Gengelbach GP, Ward JD, Spears JW (1994) Effect of dietary copper, iron, and molybdenum on growth and copper status of beef cows and calves. J Anim Sci 72:2722–2727

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  14. Solaiman SG, Craig T, Reddy G, Shoemaker CE (2007) Effect of high levels of Cu supplement on growth performance, rumen fermentation, and immune responses in goat kids. Small Rumin Res 69:115–123

    Article  Google Scholar 

  15. Zhang W, Wang R, Kleemann DO, Lu D, Zhu X, Zhang C, Jia Z (2008) Effects of dietary copper on nutrient digestibility, growth performance and plasma copper status in cashmere goats. Small Rumin Res 74:188–193

    Article  Google Scholar 

  16. Dezfoulian AH, Zamani P, Aliarabi H, Alipour D, Tabatabaei MM, Bahari AA, Fadayifar A (2012) Influence of different levels and sources of copper supplementation on performance, some blood parameters, nutrient digestibility and mineral balance in lambs. Livest Sci 147:9–19

    Article  Google Scholar 

  17. Kegley EB, Spears JW (1994) Bioavailability of feed-grade Cu sources (oxide, sulfate, or lysine) in growing cattle. J Anim Sci 72:2728–2734

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  18. Eckert GE, Greene LW, Carstens GE, Ramsey WS (1999) Copper status of ewes fed increasing amounts of copper from copper sulfate or copper proteinate. J Anim Sci 77:244–249

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  19. Du Z, Hemken RW, Jackson JA, Trammel DS (1996) Utilization of copper in copper proteinate, copper lysine, and cupric sulfate using the rat as an experimental model. J Anim Sci 74:1657–1663

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  20. NRC (1985) Nutrient requirements of sheep, 5th edn. National Academy of Sciences, Washington

    Google Scholar 

  21. Mohri M, Jannatabadi AA, Aslani MR (2005) Studies on haemoglobin polymorphism of two breeds of Iranian sheep and its relationship to concentrations of iron, copper, haemoglobin, haematocrit and RBC number. Vet Res Commun 29:305–312

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  22. Heidarppor Bami M, Mohri M, Seifi HA, Alavi Tabatabaee AA (2008) Effects of parenteral supply of iron and copper on hematology, weight gain, and health in neonatal dairy calves. Vet Res Commun 32:553–561

    Article  Google Scholar 

  23. Naseri Z, Mohri M, Aslani MR, Alavi Tabatabaee AA (2011) Effects of short-term over-supplementation of copper in milk on hematology, serum proteins, weight gain, and health in dairy calves. Biol Trace Elem Res 139:24–31

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  24. Rabiansky PA, Mc Dowell LR, Velasquez J, Wilkinson NS, Percival SS, Martin FG, Bates DB, Johnson AB, Barta TR, Salgado Madriz E (1999) Evaluating copper lysine and copper sulfate sources for heifers. J Dairy Sci 82:2642–2650

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  25. Essig HW, Davis JD, Smithson LJ (1972) Copper sulfate in steer rations. J Anim Sci 35:436–439

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  26. Koenig KM, Newbold CJ, McIntosh FM, Rode LM (1996) Effects of protozoa on bacterial nitrogen recycling in the rumen. J Anim Sci 78:2431–2445

    Google Scholar 

  27. Reddy BS, Mahadevan V (1976) Effect of copper supplementation on the digestibility of nutrients and their retention in lactating cows. Indian Vet J 56:451–455

    Google Scholar 

  28. Yadav PS, Sharma LC, Mandal AB, Sunaria KR (2004) Effect of varying levels of dietary minerals on growth and nutrient utilization in lambs. Asian Aust J Anim Sci 17:4652

    Google Scholar 

  29. Freedman JH, Ciriolo MR, Peisach J (1989) The role of glutathione in copper metabolism and toxicity. J Biol Chem 264:5598–5605

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  30. Gilbert HF, Stewart MD (1981) Inactivation of hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA reductase from yeast by coenzyme A disulfide. J Biol Chem 256:1782–1785

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  31. Roitelman J, Schechter I (1984) Regulation of rat liver 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl CoA reductase. J Biol Chem 259:870–877

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  32. Ziegler DM (1985) Role of reversible oxidation-reduction of enzyme thiol-disulfides in metabolic regulation. Annu Rev Biochem 54:305–329

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  33. Kim S, Chao PY, Allen GD (1992) Inhibition of elevated hepatic glutathione abolishes copper deficiency cholesterolemia. FASEB J 6:2467–2471

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  34. Bakalli RI, Pesti GM, Ragland WL, Konjufca V (1995) Dietary copper in excess of nutritional requirements reduces plasma and breast muscle cholesterol of chickens. Poult Sci 74:360–365

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  35. Siperstein MD (1970) Regulation of cholesterol biosynthesis in normal and malignant tumors. Curr Top Cell Regul 2:65–100

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  36. Liepa GU, Beitz DC, Linder J (1978) Cholesterol synthesis in ruminating and nonruminating goats. J Nutr 108:535–543

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  37. Lee SH, Engle TE, Hossner KL (2002) Effects of dietary copper on the expression of lipogenic genes and metabolic hormones in steers. J Anim Sci 80:1999–2005

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to acknowledge the financial support of the University of Tehran for this research under grant number 27628/06/03.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Animal Science, College of Abouraihan, University of Tehran, Tehran, P.O. Box 11365-4117, Iran

    N. Hosienpour, M. A. Norouzian, A. Afzalzadeh, A. A. Khadem & A. Asadi Alamouti

Authors
  1. N. Hosienpour
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. M. A. Norouzian
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. A. Afzalzadeh
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. A. A. Khadem
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. A. Asadi Alamouti
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to M. A. Norouzian.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Hosienpour, N., Norouzian, M.A., Afzalzadeh, A. et al. Source of Copper May Have Regressive Effects on Serum Cholesterol and Urea Nitrogen Among Male Fattening Lambs. Biol Trace Elem Res 159, 147–151 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12011-014-0004-x

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12011-014-0004-x

Keywords

Search

Navigation