Effect of Zinc, Copper and Chlortetracycline Supplementation on Fat Thickness and Longissimus muscle in Young Holstein Bulls

Fagari Nobijari, Hadi; Amanlou, Hamid; Dehghan Banadaki, Mehdi; Hoseini Sabeghi, Seyed Hosein; Ghazvinian, Khosro

Effect of Zinc, Copper and Chlortetracycline Supplementation on Fat Thickness and Longissimus muscle in Young Holstein Bulls

Authors

Hadi Fagari Nobijari

Hamid Amanlou

Mehdi Dehghan Banadaki

Seyed Hosein Hoseini Sabeghi

Khosro Ghazvinian

Abstract

Three hundred eighteen young Holstein bulls (initial BW = 375 ± 17.5 kg) were randomly allotted to one of six treatments in a completely randomized design for 56 d the treatments of which consisted of 1) the basal diet (control); 2) basal diet plus 30 mg of Cu/kg of DM as CuSO4; 3) basal diet plus 150 mg of Zn/kg of DM as ZnSO4; 4) basal diet plus chlortetracycline (200 mg/animal/d; CTC); 5) basal diet + Cu + CTC; and 6) basal diet + Zn + CTC within the same dose. Effects of treatments on blood metabolites and Back fat thickness, Rump fat thickness, Longissimus muscle area and Hip height were evaluated. Serum urea nitrogen (P < 0.001) and plasma total protein (P < 0.001) were different among treatments. Copper supplementation improved ultrasound index, however, zinc supplementation negatively affected (P < 0.001). As a result, the control of Cu and Zn levels, as replacers for CTC, in the diet of young bulls can increase Longissimus muscle area and can decrease fat thickness.

Keywords

Blood metabolites

Copper

Fat thickness

Longissimus muscle

Young bulls