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An experiment was conducted to test the hypothesis that copper (Cu) hydroxychloride improves growth performance by upregulating the mRNA transcription of genes involved in lipid metabolism of pigs fed a diet based on corn, soybean meal (SBM), and distillers dried grains with solubles (DDGS). Thirty-two pigs (15.05 ± 0.98 kg) were allotted to 2 dietary treatments with 2 pigs per pen for a total of 8 replicate pens per treatment. Pigs were fed a corn–SBM–DDGS control diet that included Cu to meet the requirement. A second diet was formulated by adding 150 mg Cu/kg from copper hydroxychloride to the control diet. On the last day of the experiment, one pig per pen was sacrificed, and samples from liver, skeletal muscle, and subcutaneous adipose tissue were collected to analyze relative mRNA abundance of genes involved in lipid metabolism. Results indicated that overall ADG and G:F were greater (P < 0.05) for pigs fed the diet containing copper hydroxychloride compared with pigs fed the control diet. Pigs fed the diet supplemented with copper hydroxychloride also had increased (P < 0.05) abundance of cluster of differentiation 36 in the liver and increased (P < 0.05) abundance of fatty acid-binding protein 4 and lipoprotein lipase in subcutaneous adipose tissue. Inclusion of copper hydroxychloride also tended to increase (P < 0.10) the abundance of fatty acid-binding protein 1, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor α, and carnitine palmitoyltransferase 1B in the liver, skeletal muscle, and subcutaneous adipose tissue, respectively. This indicates that dietary Cu may affect signaling pathways associated with lipid metabolism by improving the uptake, transport, and utilization of fatty acids. In conclusion, supplementation of copper hydroxychloride to the control diet improved growth performance and upregulated the abundance of some genes involved in postabsorptive metabolism of lipids.

An experiment was conducted to test the hypothesis that Cu hydroxychloride improves nutrient digestibility and alters the concentration of microbial protein in the small intestine or large intestine by pigs fed a corn-soybean meal diet or a diet based on corn, soybean meal, and distillers dried grains with solubles (DDGS). Twenty-four barrows (33.3 ± 3.4 kg) that had a T-cannula installed in the distal ileum were allotted to a 2 × 2 factorial design with 2 levels of DDGS (0% or 45%) and 2 levels of supplemental Cu from Cu hydroxychloride (0 or 150 mg/kg). A 2-period switch back design with the 4 diets and 6 replicate pigs per diet in each period was used resulting in 12 replicate pigs per diet for the 2 periods. The initial 9 d of each period was considered an adaptation period to the experimental diets. For each period, feces were collected on days 10, 11, and 12, and ileal digesta were collected for 8 h on days 13 and 14. Results indicated that inclusion of 45% DDGS to diets reduced (P < 0.05) the apparent ileal digestibility (AID) of AA and the AID and the apparent total tract digestibility (ATTD) of dry matter, gross energy, and crude protein. In contrast, inclusion of DDGS to diets increased (P < 0.05) the AID and the ATTD of acid hydrolyzed ether extract and the concentration of microbial protein in the hindgut (P < 0.05). However, the total concentration of volatile fatty acids (VFA) in ileal digesta and in feces from pigs fed the DDGS diets were not different from concentrations in pigs fed diets without DDGS. The AID and ATTD of dry matter, gross energy, and crude protein were not affected by dietary Cu concentrations, but the AID and ATTD of acid hydrolyzed ether extract were greater (P < 0.05) in diets supplemented with Cu hydroxychloride compared with diets without Cu hydroxychloride. There was also a reduction (P < 0.05) in the concentration of microbial protein and a tendency for a reduction (P < 0.10) in the total concentration of VFA in feces when diets were supplemented with Cu hydroxychloride. In conclusion, supplementation of Cu hydroxychloride to diets improved AID and ATTD of acid hydrolyzed ether extract and reduced the concentration of microbial protein in the large intestine and this effect was observed in diets containing DDGS as well as in diets without DDGS.