Supplementation dietary zinc levels on growth performance, carcass traits, and intramuscular fat deposition in weaned piglets

Biol Trace Elem Res. 2014 Oct;161(1):69-77. doi: 10.1007/s12011-014-0078-5. Epub 2014 Jul 23.

Abstract

This study was conducted to estimate dietary zinc (Zn) levels on growth performance, carcass traits, and intramuscular fat (IMF) deposition in weaned piglets. Sixty piglets were randomly divided into five groups, as follows: control (basal diet), Zn250, Zn380, Zn570, and Zn760 with supplementation of 250, 380, 570, and 760 mg Zn/kg of the basal diet, respectively. The final weight, average daily gain (ADG), gain/feed (G/F), lean meat percentage, fat meat percentage, lean eye area, backfat thickness, and IMF content were dose-dependently increased in all groups of Zn treatment. The serum total triglycerides (TG) and free fatty acid (FFA) were significantly higher in all Zn treatments than in the control. The enzyme activities of lipoprotein lipase (LPL), fatty acid synthase (FAS), and acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC) were markedly higher, while enzyme activities of hormone-sensitive lipase (HSL) and carnitine palmitoyltransferase-1 (CPT-1) were significantly lower in all Zn treatments than in the control. The messenger RNA (mRNA) levels of sterol regulatory element-binding protein 1 (SREBP-1), stearoyl-CoA desaturase (SCD), FAS, ACC, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPARγ), LPL, and adipocyte fatty acid-binding protein (A-FABP) were significantly higher, while the mRNA levels of CPT-1 and HSL were significantly lower in all Zn treatments compared with the control. These results indicated that high levels of Zn increased IMF accumulation by up-regulating intramuscular lipogenic and fatty acid transport gene expression and enzyme activities while down-regulating lipolytic gene expression and enzyme activities.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adipose Tissue / drug effects*
  • Adipose Tissue / growth & development
  • Animals
  • Body Weight / drug effects*
  • Carnitine O-Palmitoyltransferase / genetics
  • Carnitine O-Palmitoyltransferase / metabolism
  • Dietary Supplements*
  • Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
  • Fatty Acid Synthase, Type I / genetics
  • Fatty Acid Synthase, Type I / metabolism
  • Fatty Acid-Binding Proteins / genetics
  • Fatty Acid-Binding Proteins / metabolism
  • Fatty Acids, Nonesterified / blood
  • Gene Expression / drug effects
  • Lipoprotein Lipase / genetics
  • Lipoprotein Lipase / metabolism
  • PPAR gamma / genetics
  • PPAR gamma / metabolism
  • Random Allocation
  • Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • Sterol Esterase / genetics
  • Sterol Esterase / metabolism
  • Sterol Regulatory Element Binding Protein 1 / genetics
  • Sterol Regulatory Element Binding Protein 1 / metabolism
  • Swine
  • Triglycerides / blood
  • Weaning
  • Zinc / administration & dosage
  • Zinc / pharmacology*

Substances

  • Fatty Acid-Binding Proteins
  • Fatty Acids, Nonesterified
  • PPAR gamma
  • Sterol Regulatory Element Binding Protein 1
  • Triglycerides
  • Carnitine O-Palmitoyltransferase
  • Fatty Acid Synthase, Type I
  • Sterol Esterase
  • Lipoprotein Lipase
  • Zinc