The Digestive Utilization of Iron and Copper in the Fattening Swine Organism

Abstract

The previous results have shown that the pork meat may become a part of a dietetical nutrition, because the pork meat is a superior source of protein, the best source of thiamine, a good source of iron and zinc, lower as calories, less lipids and an ideal ratio between polyunsaturated and saturated fat acids.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence over the bioproductive performances of fattening swine, also the evolution of the contained of iron and copper in blood, liver, fat, muscles, in the conditions in which during the finisher period iron and copper marked with radioactive isotope ⁵⁶Fe and ⁶⁴Cu have been used. The bioproductive performance registered by the fattening swine have proved that the optimal levels of iron are of 60 mg/kg compound feed in the first stage of fattening and of 40 mg/kg in the second stage, respectively the copper’s level is of 4 mg/kg in the first stage and 3 mg/kg in the second stage. The established values obtained experimentally demonstrates an accumulation of radioactive iron and copper bigger in liver, blood and muscles. Regarding the organoleptical properties, the colour of the meat at these levels of iron and copper considered optimal, had the corresponding values of a quality meat (2.8-3.0 according to the Canadian standard).