Organic and Inorganic Cu Sailts Utilization in Fattening Goats

Abstract

A 90-day nutritional balance trial was conducted, with 12 West Africa Dwarf goats weighing between 12.3 and 12.8kg. The animals were grouped into 4 dietary treatments of 3 goats per group, using copper salts-Cu proteinate, CuSO4, CuNO₃ as test ingredients, applied at 100g/50kg feed. The experiment  assessed the effects of the different Cu salts when compared with control on Cu bioavailability, average daily gain (ADG), dry matter intake (DMI), water consumption, heart and liver weights, faecal Cu, glucose and protein concentration, PCV,RBC,WBC, and Hb. Each of the 4 groups was randomly assigned to a Cu salt - based diet while the control (T1) had no Cu salt inclusion. Results indicate that all the salts - treated goats exhibited significantly (P<0.05) higher performances than the control group in all parameters considered. Copper proteinate significantly (P<0.05) induced the highest dry matter intake (0.306kg/d),ADG(0.046kg/W ^0.75 kg),highest Cu bioavailability in the serum(119.7mg/l) and optimum FCR(1.12).Cu proteinate seems to induce better responses in the goats than other Cu salts. Cu proteinate can be suggested as a salt of choice in case of Cu deficiency, depletion or anaemia condition in goats. About 100g Cu proteinate /50kg feed is therefore recommended in the diet of growing WAD goats.

Keywords: Bioavailability, Cu proteinate, Haematological and Serological parameters.