Effects of organic forms of zinc on growth performance, tissue zinc distribution, and immune response of weanling pigs

This study was conducted to determine the effect of zinc level and source on growth performance, tissue Zn concentrations, intracellular distribution of Zn, and immune response in weanling pigs. Ninety-six 3-wk-old crossbred weanling pigs (BW = 6.45 +/- 0.17 kg) were assigned to one of six dietary treatments (four pigs per pen, four replicates per treatment) based on weight and litter origin. Treatments consisted of the following: 1) a corn-soybean meal-whey diet (1.2% lysine) with a basal level of 80 ppm of supplemental Zn from ZnSO4 (control; contained 104 ppm total Zn); 2) control + 80 ppm added Zn from ZnSO4; 3) control + 80 ppm added Zn from Zn methionine (ZnMet); 4) control + 80 ppm added Zn from Zn lysine (ZnLys); 5) control + 40 ppm added Zn from ZnMet and 40 ppm added Zn from ZnLys (ZnML); and 6) control + 160 ppm added Zn from ZnSO4. Zinc supplementation of the control diet had no effect on ADG or ADFI. Gain efficiency was less (P < 0.05) for pigs-fed 80 ppm of Zn from ZnSO4 than for control pigs and pigs fed 160 ppm of Zn from ZnSO4. Organ weights, Zn concentration, and intracellular distribution of Zn in the liver, pancreas, and spleen were not affected (P = 0.12) by Zn level or source. Skin thickness response to phytohemagglutinin (PHA) was not affected (P = 0.53) by dietary treatment. Lymphocyte proliferation in response to PHA was greater (P < 0.05) in pigs fed ZnLys than in pigs fed the control diet or the ZnML diet; however, when pokeweed mitogen was used, lymphocyte proliferation was greatest (P < 0,05) in pigs fed the ZnMet diet than pigs fed the control, ZnLys, ZnML, or 160 ppm ZnSO4 diets. Antibody response to sheep red blood cells was not affected by dietary treatments. Supplementation of 80 ppm of Zn from ZnSO4 Or ZnMet and 160 ppm of Zn from ZnSO4 decreased (P < 0.05) the antibody response to ovalbumin on d 7 compared with control pigs, but not on d 14. Phagocytic capability of peritoneal exudate cells was increased (P < 0.05) when 160 ppm of Zn from ZnSO4 was supplemented to the diet. The number of red blood cells ingested per phagocytic cell was increased (P < 0.05) in pigs fed the diet supplemented with a combination of ZnMet and ZnLys and the diet with 160 ppm of Zn from ZnSO4. Results suggest that the level of Zn recommended by NRC for weanling pigs was sufficient for optimal growth performance and immune responses, although macrophage function may be enhanced at greater levels of Zn. Source of Zn did not alter these measurements.