Nano-Copper Supplementation Reduces Fecal Copper Excretion and Enhances Piglet Performance Under Heat Stress

Xiarui Xiao, Duo Xu, Haixin Zhang, Qian Xing, Daiwen Chen, Xiangbing Mao, Quyuan Wang, Huifen Wang and Hui Yan ()
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Xiarui Xiao: Key Laboratories for Animal Disease-Resistance Nutrition of China Ministry of Education, China Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs and Sichuan Province, Animal Nutrition Institute, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China
Duo Xu: Key Laboratories for Animal Disease-Resistance Nutrition of China Ministry of Education, China Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs and Sichuan Province, Animal Nutrition Institute, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China
Haixin Zhang: Key Laboratories for Animal Disease-Resistance Nutrition of China Ministry of Education, China Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs and Sichuan Province, Animal Nutrition Institute, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China
Qian Xing: Key Laboratories for Animal Disease-Resistance Nutrition of China Ministry of Education, China Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs and Sichuan Province, Animal Nutrition Institute, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China
Daiwen Chen: Key Laboratories for Animal Disease-Resistance Nutrition of China Ministry of Education, China Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs and Sichuan Province, Animal Nutrition Institute, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China
Xiangbing Mao: Key Laboratories for Animal Disease-Resistance Nutrition of China Ministry of Education, China Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs and Sichuan Province, Animal Nutrition Institute, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China
Quyuan Wang: Key Laboratories for Animal Disease-Resistance Nutrition of China Ministry of Education, China Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs and Sichuan Province, Animal Nutrition Institute, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China
Huifen Wang: Key Laboratories for Animal Disease-Resistance Nutrition of China Ministry of Education, China Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs and Sichuan Province, Animal Nutrition Institute, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China
Hui Yan: Key Laboratories for Animal Disease-Resistance Nutrition of China Ministry of Education, China Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs and Sichuan Province, Animal Nutrition Institute, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China

Agriculture, 2025, vol. 15, issue 12, 1-20

Abstract: This study aimed to evaluate the effects of dietary nano-copper supplementation on growth performance, nutrient digestibility, antioxidant status, inflammatory response, and intestinal barrier function in weanling pigs under heat stress conditions. Forty 20-day-old weaned weanling pigs (Yorkshire × Landrace × Duroc) weighing 6.49 ± 0.08 kg were randomly divided into five treatments with eight replicates each. The pre-feeding period was 2 days, followed by a 22-day experimental period. All groups were exposed to high heat conditions at 35 ± 1 °C. The control group received a basal diet, while the low copper sulfate (LC) group received a diet with 50 mg/kg of copper sulfate, the high copper sulfate (HC) group received a diet with 150 mg/kg of copper sulfate, the low nano-copper (LNC) group received a diet with 50 mg/kg of nano-copper oxide, and the high nano-copper (HNC) group received a diet with 150 mg/kg of nano-copper oxide. Compared to the basal group, pigs supplemented with copper (either CuSO 4 or nano-CuO) exhibited significantly higher average daily gain (ADG, p < 0.048) and feed intake (ADFI, p = 0.005), with the 50 mg/kg nano-copper group showing improved nutrient digestibility ( p < 0.05) and intestinal morphology. Nano-copper supplementation significantly enhanced mucosal SOD activity ( p < 0.05), reduced MDA levels ( p < 0.05), and downregulated pro-inflammatory cytokines such as IL-1β and IL-6 ( p < 0.05). Notably, 50 mg/kg of nano-copper increased the apparent total tract digestibility (ATTD) of copper to 30.29%, significantly higher than the 16.55% observed in the 150 mg/kg CuSO 4 group ( p < 0.05). Furthermore, fecal copper concentration was significantly reduced by 20.7% in the 50 mg/kg nano-copper group compared to copper sulfate ( p < 0.001). In conclusion, nano-copper appears to be a promising alternative to copper sulfate for improving growth performance and reducing fecal copper concentrations in weanling pigs under heat stress conditions.

Keywords: nano-copper; copper pollution; weanling pigs; heat stress; inflammation; anti-oxidation (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q1 Q10 Q11 Q12 Q13 Q14 Q15 Q16 Q17 Q18 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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