Hostname: page-component-8448b6f56d-wq2xx Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-04-20T04:13:17.800Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Copper sulphate as a growth stimulant for pigs: effect of level and purity

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 June 1961

I. A. M. Lucas ,
R. M. Livingstone  and
I. McDonald
I. A. M. Lucas
Affiliation:
Rowett Research Institute, Bucksburn, Aberdeen
R. M. Livingstone
Affiliation:
Rowett Research Institute, Bucksburn, Aberdeen
I. McDonald
Affiliation:
Rowett Research Institute, Bucksburn, Aberdeen
Get access

Extract

Two 2 × 4 factorial experiments each involved 8 litters of 8 pigs, one pig from each litter being allocated to each treatment. Diets containing supplements of a commercial grade of copper sulphate were compared with others containing Analar (Experiment 1) or micro-analytical reagent grade copper sulphate (Experiment 2). Four levels of each of two grades of CuSO4.5H2O, providing 16, 62, 125 or 250 p.p.m. Cu in the diets, were given in each experiment.

The pigs were put on experiment at 8—9 weeks of age and most were slaughtered as their individual weights reached about 200 lb. The exceptions were 4 litters in Experiment 1 which were taken off experiment at that weight but not slaughtered. The pigs were fed in individual compartments, meal allowances being determined from a fixed scale based on live-weight.

Purity of copper sulphate did not affect growth rate, feed conversion efficiency or carcass measurements in either experiment.

Response to level of copper sulphate between about 45 and 100 lb. liveweight differed somewhat between experiments. In Experiment 1 pigs receiving 125 or 250 p.p.m. in the diet grew 4 or 9% faster and had better feed conversion efficiencies than those receiving 16 or 62 p.p.m. Cu. In Experiment 2, pigs receiving 62, 125 or 250 p.p.m. Cu all grew about 4–5% faster and had 1–5 % better feed conversion efficiencies than those receiving 16 p.p.m. Cu, but the effect on feed conversion efficiency was not statistically significant.

Increase in copper sulphate above the trace level supplying 16 p.p.m. Cu in the diet had no effect on growth rate or feed conversion efficiency between 100 and 202 lb. live-weight or on killing-out percentage or carcass measurements.

Comparison of the results with those from a previous experiment showed that in pigs fed according to a fixed scale the greatest consistent increases in growth rate and feed conversion efficiency have occurred with copper sulphate as 0·1% of the diet, giving 250 p.p.m. Cu. This supplement has only improved performance between 100 and 200 lb. live-weight in one experiment out of five.

Type
Research Article
Information
Animal Production , Volume 3 , Issue 2 , June 1961 , pp. 111 - 119
Copyright
Copyright © British Society of Animal Science 1961

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

REFERENCES

Barber, R. S., Braude, R., & Mitchell, K. G., 1960a. Further studies on antibiotic, copper and zinc supplements for growing pigs. Brit. J. Nutr., 14: 499.Google Scholar
Barber, R. S., Braude, R., Mitchell, K. G., & Cassidy, J., 1955. High copper mineral mixture for fattening pigs. Chetn. and Ind. (Rev.), p. 601.Google Scholar
Barber, R. S., Braude, R., Mitchell, K. G., & Porter, J. W. G., 1960b. Copper sulphate and copper sulphide (CuS) as supplements for growing pigs. Proc. Nutr. Soc, 19: xxvi.Google Scholar
Bowler, R. J., Braude, R., Campbell, R. C, Craddock-Turnbull, J. N., Fieldsend, H. F., Griffiths, E. K., Lucas, I. A. M., Mitchell, K. G., Nickalls, N. J. D., & Taylor, J. H., 1955. High-copper mineral mixture for fattening pigs.Brit. J. Nutr., 9: 358.Google Scholar
Dammers, J., Stolk, K., Van Der Grift, J., & Frens, A. M., 1959. Effect of adding copper sulphate to rations for fattening pigs. Versl. landbouwk. Onderzoek. No. 65, 12: 7.Google Scholar
Lucas, I. A. M., and Calder, A. F. C., 1957a. Antibiotics and a high level of copper sulphate in rations for growing bacon pigs. J. agric. Sci., 49: 184.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Lucas, I. A. M., & Calder, A. F. C., 1957b. A comparison of five levels of copper sul-phate in rations for growing pigs. Proc. Nutr. Soc, 16: i.Google Scholar
Lucas, I. A. M., Mcdonald, I., & Calder, A. F. C., 1960. Some further observations upon the effects of varying the plane of feeding for pigs between weaning and bacon weight. J. agric. Sci., 54: 81.Google Scholar
Quenouille, M. H., 1950. Introductory Statistics. Butterworth-Springer Ltd., London.Google Scholar