Zinc oxide and amino acids as sources of dietary zinc for calves: effects on uptake and immunity

• Published in: Journal of dairy science 1997-07, Vol.80 (7), p.1381-1388
• Main Authors: Kincaid, R.L. (Washington State University, Pullman.), Chew, B.P, Cronrath, J.D
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: ACIDE GRAS VOLATIL; ACIDO GRASO VOLATIL; ALBUMINAS; ALBUMINE; ALBUMINS; ALPHA2-MACROGLOBULIN; Amino Acids - administration & dosage; Animal productions; Animals; BIOAVAILABILITY; BIODISPONIBILIDAD; BIODISPONIBILITE; Biological and medical sciences; Biological Availability; BLOOD SERUM; BOVINE SERUM ALBUMIN; CALVES; Cattle - immunology; Cattle - physiology; CELL MEDIATED IMMUNITY; CHEMICAL COMPOSITION; CINC; COMPLEMENT ALIMENTAIRE; COMPOSICION QUIMICA; COMPOSITION CHIMIQUE; CONTENIDO DE MATERIA SECA; Diet; DRY MATTER CONTENT; FEED INTAKE; FLUIDE DU RUMEN; FLUIDO DEL RUMEN; FOIE; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; GAIN DE POIDS; GANANCIA DE PESO; GRANULOCITOS; GRANULOCYTE; GRANULOCYTES; HIGADO; IMMUNITE CELLULAIRE; Immunity; IMMUNOGLOBULINE; IMMUNOGLOBULINS; INGESTION DE PIENSOS; INMUNIDAD CELULAR; INMUNOGLOBULINA; Interleukin-2 - biosynthesis; INTERLEUKINE; INTERLEUKINS; INTERLEUQUINAS; LISINA; LIVER; Liver - metabolism; LIVEWEIGHT GAIN; LYMPHOCYTE TRANSFORMATION; Lymphocytes - immunology; LYSINE; Lysine - administration & dosage; Lysine - blood; MACROFAGOS; MACROPHAGE; MACROPHAGE KILLING; MACROPHAGES; METHIONINE; Methionine - administration & dosage; Methionine - blood; METIONINA; MINERAL NUTRIENTS; MITOGENE; MITOGENOS; MITOGENS; NEUTROPHIL MEDIATED KILLING; NEUTROPHILS; Neutrophils - immunology; NUTRIENTES MINERALES; OXIDES; OXIDOS; OXYDE; Phagocytosis; PRISE ALIMENTAIRE (ANIMAUX); RUMEN FLUID; SERUM SANGUIN; SUBSTANCE NUTRITIVE MINERALE; SUERO SANGUINEO; SUPLEMENTOS; SUPPLEMENTS; TENEUR EN MATIERE SECHE; TERNERO; Terrestrial animal productions; VEAU; Vertebrates; VOLATILE FATTY ACIDS; WEIGHT GAIN; ZINC; Zinc - administration & dosage; Zinc - blood; Zinc Oxide - administration & dosage; Zinc Oxide - pharmacokinetics
• ISSN: 0022-0302; 1525-3198
• DOI: 10.3168/jds.S0022-0302(97)76067-3

Calf starter diets were formulated to contain 60 ppm of Zn, 150 or 300 ppm of Zn in the form of Zn-Met and Zn-Lys, or 300 ppm of Zn in the form of ZnO to compare relative bioavailability and effects on immunity. Holstein heifer calves were weaned at wk 5 and fed experimental starter diets from wk 6 to 12. Feed intake, body weight, Zn concentrations in liver and serum fractions, and mineral concentrations in serum were measured to determine the effects of treatment. In addition, peripheral blood lymphocyte blastogenesis, interleukin-2 production, cytotoxic activity, and the ability of blood neutrophils to phagocytose and kill bacteria were assessed at wk 0, 2, 4, and 6 of the trial. Feed intakes and body weight gains were similar among calves. Concentrations of Zn in serum were elevated in calves fed 300 ppm of Zn as Zn-Met and Zn-Lys but not in calves fed ZnO. Concentrations of Zn in liver were significantly elevated by 300 ppm of Zn in the form of Zn-Met and Zn-Lys (360 micrograms/g) but not by the other Zn treatments or by the control (245 micrograms/g). No treatment had an effect on the concentrations of Lys and Met in serum; however, concentrations of Lys did decrease in serum as the age of the calves increased. There was no significant treatment effect on mitogen-induced lymphocyte blastogenesis, interleukin-2 production, lymphocyte cytotoxicity, or phagocytic and intracellular killing ability of blood neutrophils. These data indicated greater absorption and retention of Zn when administered in the form of Zn-Met and Zn-Lys than that when ZnO was administered to young calves. However, there was no advantage to the immune function of extra dietary Zn