Investigating the Effects of Copper-Manganese-Zinc-Selenium Composite Supplementation on Growth Performance and Gut Microbiota in Mice with Combined Copper-Manganese-Zinc-Selenium Deficiency
Mouse deficiency-intervention model: In this study, three-week-old male KM mice were randomly assigned to one of three experimental groups (n=10 per group) for a 21 day feeding regimen. The groups were as follows: the Control group (CON), which received the AIN-93G diet; the Trace Element Deficiency group (TED), which was provided with a modified AIN-93G diet deficient in Cu, Mn, Zn, and Se; and the Trace Element Supplementation group (TES), which was fed the TED diet supplemented with TMSC injections at a dosage of 0.02 ul/g. Both the CON and TED groups received saline injections. Injections were administered on days 0, 7, and 14, and body weight measurements were taken every two days. Final sample collection occurred on day 21. The AIN-93G basal diet, both with and without the trace elements Cu, Mn, Zn, and Se, was supplied by BiotechHD Co., Ltd. (Beijing, China).