Effects of Dietary Arsenic Levels on Serum Parameters and Trace Mineral Retentions in Growing and Finishing Pigs

Abstract

This experiment was conducted to investigate the effect of dietary arsenic (As) levels on growth performance, serum biochemistry, and the retention of iron, copper, and zinc in tissues of growing and finishing pigs. Ninety-six crossbred pigs were randomly allotted to four dietary treatments. The corn-soybean basal diets were supplemented with 0, 10, 20, and 30 mg As/kg. Arsenic trioxide was used as the arsenic source. The feeding experiment lasted for 78 d. The results showed that the high arsenic diet decreased average daily gain (ADG) (p<0.05) and increased feed gain ratio (F/G) (p<0.05). Arsenic intake significantly increased (p<0.05) serum gamma-gultamyltransferase (GGT), glutamic-pyruvic transaminase (GPT), and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activities, and decreased (p<0.05) total protein, urea nitrogen, creatinine, and triglycerides. Glutamic-oxalacetic transaminase (GOT) activity, albumin, and cholesterol were not affected (p>0.05). Arsenic feeding elevated (p<0.05) liver and kidney copper concentration, but reduced (p<0.05) copper concentration in heart, bile, and lymphaden of intestine mesentery. There were increases in iron levels in liver, bile, spleen, thymus, and pancreas in pigs fed the high As diets (p<0.05), but iron contents in kidney, heart, and serum were decreased by the arsenic treatment (p<0.05). Zinc concentrations were increased (p<0.05) in liver, kidney, and thymus of pigs with arsenic treatment, but decreased (p<0.05) in bile and lymphaden of intestine mesentery. This study suggested that high dietary As levels could alter serum biochemical parameters and the retention of copper, iron, and zinc in the viscera of growing and finishing pigs.

Effect of Vitamin E Supplementation on Hematological and Plasma Biochemical Parameters during Long Term Exposure of Arsenic in Goats

“…Decreased serum total protein in the trial was similar to the results obtained by Nandi et al (2005) in rats but in contrast to the report of Uthus (2001) in rats, Biswas et al (2000) in goats and Wang et al (2006) in pigs. Hypoproteinaemia in arsenic-induced animals is likely to be due to marked destruction and disintegration of parenchymatous tissues.…”

“…The elevation of serum protein after vitamin E supplementation was probably due to decreased hepatic insulin resistance allowing insulin to stimulate the incorporation of amino acids into protein (Manning et al, 2004). Increased plasma creatinine was similar to Nandi et al (2005) but in contrast with Wang et al (2006). Increased creatinine level indicates initiation of renal infliction due to persistent exposure of As.…”

Effect of acute and chronic exposure of sodium arsenite (Na3AsO3) on total protein, albumin, and globulin in serum ofOryctolagus cuniculusL.

“…Nabi, Rahman, and Islam (2005) concluded that the level of total protein in serum of the arsenicosis patients was significantly higher than control subjects, which is in contradictory to our findings in rabbits. Wang et al (2006) conducted an experiment to investigate the effects of dietary As levels on growth performance, serum biochemistry, and retention of iron, copper, and zinc in tissues of growing and finishing pigs. As was found to significantly decrease the levels of total protein similar to our observations.…”

Effects of inorganic minerals replaced by complexed glycinates on growth, blood profiles, immune responses, intestinal morphology, and mineral excretion in piglets

“…Thus, a commercial compared to trace mineral sulfates, glycine-complexed trace minerals provide glycine while providing trace elements, but this seems to be negligible for nitrogen metabolism. Alkaline phosphatase is one of the biochemical indicators for evaluating the inflammation in the liver and kidneys [18]. The study of its structure found that ALP contains 2 binding sites of Zn 2+ , and Zn 2+ are not free to enter and exit the ALP due to the presence of Glu49 residue [19].…”