Effects of copper sulphate and coated copper sulphate addition on lactation performance, nutrient digestibility, ruminal fermentation and blood metabolites in dairy cows

Abstract

Coated copper sulfate (CCS) could be used as copper supplement in cows. To investigate the influences of copper sulfate (CS) and CCS on milk performance, nutrient digestion and rumen fermentation, fifty Holstein dairy cows were arranged in a randomized block design to five groups: control, CS addition (7.5 mg Cu/kg dry matter [DM] from CS) or CCS addition (5, 7.5 and 10 mg Cu/kg DM from CCS, respectively). When comparing copper source at equal inclusion rates (7.5 mg/kg DM), cows receiving CCS addition had higher yields of fat corrected milk, milk fat and protein, digestibility of DM, organic matter (OM) and neutral detergent fibre (NDF), ruminal total volatile fatty acid (VFA) concentration, activities of carboxymethyl-cellulase, cellobiase, pectinase and α-amylase, populations of Ruminococcus (R.) albus, R. flavefaciens and Fibrobacter succinogenes and liver copper content than cows receiving CS addition. Increasing CCS addition, DM intake was unchanged, yields of milk, milk fat and protein, feed efficiency, digestibility of DM, OM, NDF and acid detergent acid fibre, ruminal total VFA concentration, acetate to propionate ratio, activity of cellulolytic enzyme and populations of total bacteria, protozoa and dominant cellulolytic bacteria and concentrations of copper in serum and liver increased linearly, but ruminal propionate percentage, ammonia-N concentration, α-amylase activity and populations of Prevotella ruminicola and Ruminobacter amylophilus decreased linearly. The results indicated that supplement of CS could be substituted with CCS, and addition of CCS improved milk performance and nutrient digestion in dairy cows.

Latent Benefits and Toxicity Risks Transmission Chain of High Dietary Copper along the Livestock–Environment–Plant–Human Health Axis and Microbial Homeostasis: A Review

“…For example, the minimum dose of Cu to promote growth is over 250 mg/kg for piglets . Supplementing 125 mg/kg of Cu in poultry diets can increase growth; Cu oxidate nanoparticles (CuO–NPs) are also able to kill Salmonella in the gastrointestinal tract of poultry. , Besides, Cu is an essential element for rumen microorganisms in ruminants; dietary Cu sulfate improves milk performance and nutrients digestion and enhances ruminal fermentation at 10 mg/kg . Copper is also necessary for maintaining the minerals level and blood physiology and biochemistry in sheep, thus improving immunity functions and antioxidant ability. , Copper processing methods also impact its absorption efficiency.…”

“…Ruminants appear less able to cope with rising liver Cu concentration than monogastric counterparts, and sheep in general less able to cope with elevated Cu intake than cattle . For example, high Cu inhibits the growth of probiotics and causes diseases such as hemolysis in the rumen, , hepatic Cu concentration ranges from 3 to 1963 mg/kg with a mean of 473 mg/kg in the liver of cattle, dietary high Cu causes lysosome rupture and induces intravascular hemolysis, which further leads to hemoglobinuria, jaundice, and methemoglobinemia when the Cu concentration reaches saturation. , However, Strickland et al concluded that there are no histologically visible lesions in the architecture of bovine hepatocytes that could be attributed to Cu despite the supernutritional hepatic Cu concentration, which may be due to Cu being taken up in lysosomes to prevent oxidative damage when hepatocellular Cu concentration reaches a critical threshold . These results suggest that more studies are needed to investigate the impacts of hepatic Cu concentration on other measures of liver damage and function as well as animal health and production.…”

“…37,38 Besides, Cu is an essential element for rumen microorganisms in ruminants; dietary Cu sulfate improves milk performance and nutrients digestion and enhances ruminal fermentation at 10 mg/kg. 18 Copper is also necessary for maintaining the minerals level and blood physiology and biochemistry in sheep, thus improving immunity functions and antioxidant ability. 39,40 Copper processing methods also impact its absorption efficiency.…”

“…A study also indicated that high-Cu diets can alter the gut microenvironment and impact the composition and abundance of bacteria in livestock; for example, dietary high Cu decreases the intestinal microbial diversity but increases the ratio of Firmicutes to Bacteroidetes in pigs . Dietary Cu also enhances ruminal microbial fermentation in ruminants . In addition, Cu can cause poor intestinal permeability and disorders of the intestinal microbiota in humans, thus developing metabolic and autoimmune diseases risks, such as type I diabetes and multiple sclerosis .…”

“…17 fermentation in ruminants. 18 In addition, Cu can cause poor intestinal permeability and disorders of the intestinal microbiota in humans, thus developing metabolic and autoimmune diseases risks, 19 such as type I diabetes and multiple sclerosis. 20 Moreover, the wild spread of resistant microorganisms in the environment has become an important threat that affects human health.…”