Effect of different sources of copper on performance, gas production parameters and nutrients digestibility in Zandi lamb

This study was conducted to investigate effect of different sources of copper on gas production parameters and nutrients digestibility in Zandi male lambs. In the first experiment, 18 male lambs (initial body weight 17.53±1.62) divided into three groups and fed one of the three experimental diets for 70 days. Dietary treatments were control (basal diet without copper supplement), basal diet plus 10 ppm copper from sulfate and basal diet plus 10 ppm from proteinate copper. In comparison with control, copper supplementation improved average daily gain and feed conversion ratio, but there was no significant difference among the dietary treatments for dry matter intake. Dry matter, organic matter, crude protein and acid detergent fiber digestibility was higher for lambs fed with organic copper compared to lambs fed with control and inorganic copper (P<0.01). In the second experiment, an in vitro gas production technique was used to evaluate the effects of copper sources on the amount and rate of gas production, dry matter degradability, utilization of metabolizable energy (ME), and ruminal fermentation patterns using rumen fluid from three lambs as inoculum. Rate of gas production (c) did not differ among the treatments. Asymptotic of gas production (b) was higher for diets containing supplemental copper compared to control. It seems that supplementation of fattening lamb diet with of organic copper could be improved rumen fermentation and performance of lambs.