title: Interactive effects of dietary calcium, phosphorus and copper on performance and liver stores of pigs.
abstract: Three experiments involving 304 pigs were conducted to determine the related effects of copper (Cu), calcium (Ca) and phosphorus (P) on the performance and liver Cu stores of growing-finishing pigs. Rate and efficiency of gain were improved by the addition of 250 ppm of Cu to the diets. Improvements in rate of gain averaged 6.6% (652 vs 696 g/d) to 60.5 kg body weight and 1.7% (713 vs 725 g/d) to 94.5 kg body weight. Feed:gain ratio was improved by 1.4% to 60.5 kg and 1.6% to 94.5 kg body weight when Cu was added to the diet. Increasing the dietary Ca and P levels from .65% Ca and .55% P to 1.2% Ca and .86 or 1.0% P resulted in increased (P less than .01) growth rate to 60 and 95 kg (649 vs 699 g/d and 700 vs 737 g/d, respectively), but feed efficiency was not affected (2.86 vs 2.84 and 3.18 vs 3.17 kg feed/kg gain, respectively.) Feeding the higher Ca and P levels resulted in increased liver Cu levels in pigs fed 250 ppm Cu (189 vs 323 ppm), but Ca and P did not affect liver Cu of pigs fed low Cu diets (29 vs 28 ppm). When dietary Ca and P were varied independently, the high Ca level increased liver Cu, but P had little effect on liver Cu. Increasing the dietary P level partially alleviated the effect of Ca on liver Cu.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001835:Body Weight; D002119:Calcium Carbonate / Q000008:administration & dosage; D002130:Calcium Phosphates / Q000008:administration & dosage; D002136:Calcium, Dietary / Q000494:pharmacology*; D003300:Copper / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology*; D019327:Copper Sulfate; D005260:Female; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D010758:Phosphorus / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013552:Swine / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D002130:Calcium Phosphates; D002136:Calcium, Dietary; C485828:alpha-tricalcium phosphate; C485830:tetracalcium phosphate; D010758:Phosphorus; C485838:calcium phosphate, monobasic, anhydrous; D003300:Copper; C020243:calcium phosphate; D002119:Calcium Carbonate; C485829:calcium phosphate, dibasic, anhydrous; D019327:Copper Sulfate