Effect on supplementation of Spirulina maxima enriched with Cu on production performance, metabolical and physiological parameters in fattening pigs
A. Saeid
K. Chojnacka
M. Korczyski
D. Korniewicz
Z. Dobrzaski
In this paper, the effect of addition of the biomass of Spirulina maxima enriched with copper (Sm-Cu) to the animal feed is discussed. The biomass was cultivated in the photobioreactor with the capacity of 10 m3. After the biosorption process, the enriched biomass was investigated as the source of valuable nutrients. The feeding experiment was conducted for 87 days. The study was performed in individual rearing pens, with controlled microclimate, feed and water were available semi-ad libitum. Piglets (24) were divided into two groups (control and experimental). The experimental group was fed with addition of the biomass of Sm-Cu instead of inorganic salts. There were no statistically significant differences between the average daily and periodic weight gain, daily and periodic feed collection, as well as feed conversion ratio. There were no statistically significant differences between the amount of N excreted in faeces and urine, when considering the retention of N, both in relation to the consumed N, and relative N digested which was at a similar level. In the experimental group in comparison to the control group, the lower low-density lipoprotein cholesterol by 17.05 % (P <0.05) and total cholesterol by 9.43 % (P< 0.05) were observed. Additionally, the increase of parameter a* of 13 % (P< 0.05) and the reduction of the natural leakage by 34 % (P<0.05) were found.
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Microalgae are prokaryotic and eukaryotic photosynthetic
organisms with single or multicellular structure that can
survive even in very difficult conditions. Examples of
microorganisms are prokaryotic cyanobacteria (Cyanophyceae),
a eukaryotic green algae (Chlorophyta) and diatoms
(Bacillariophyta) (Li et al. 2008a, b).
Microalgae and their nutritional value have long been
known. They are used in human and animal nutrition, in
cosmetics and in the production of valuable substances
(e.g. fatty acids, pigments) (Spolaore et al. 2006). There
are alternative and unconventional sources of protein
and many biologically active substances. Consequently,
they can be used as dietary feed supplements for
animals (Muller-Feuga 2000). Microalgae are a good
source of nutrients. Examples of application of
microalgae are as follows: food, feed, drugs, pigments, source
of chemical constituents, fuels, hormones and others
(Muller-Feuga 2000; Barclay 1986; Illman et al. 2000;
Lipstein and Hurwitz 1980; Richmond 2004).
Microalgae have been used as food since about 2,000 years
ago in China. Although microalgae are known as the source of
nutrients for thousands of years (Borowitzka 1999),
microalgal biotechnology began to develop only in the middle of the
past century (Spolaore et al. 2006).
Regulation of the Polish Minister of Agriculture and
Rural Development (2005) allows the use of algae as a feed
material. The list of feed materials which have been
authorized under the provisions of the European Union includes
algae (Korol 2002).
The nutritional properties of microalgae are well-known
and are thoroughly described in the literature (Brown et al.
1997; Navarro et al. 2001; Martnez-Fernndez et al. 2006;
Martnez-Fernndez and Southgate 2007; Abril et al. 2003;
Ponis and Parisi 2003). Table 1 presents the experiments on
using the microalgae as feed additives. Several papers
describe attempts of enrichment of Spirulina platensis biomass
in selenium, iodine (Mosulishvili et al. 2002) and chromium
(Zhi-Yong et al. 2003), which resulted in the production of
pharmaceuticals that can be used as human dietary
supplements. Such formulations provide the body with the
ingredients, in which biomass was enriched in a more available
form. Biosorption is one of methods of enrichment of
biomass with microelements. It would be possible to elaborate
a new generation of feed additives components with
microelements bound with biological carrier (biomass of
microalgae) by biosorption. Trend to enrich the biomass with
nutrients through biosorption and bioaccumulation becomes
a fact, and it is confirmed by literature reports. For example,
copper-enriched yeasts were used in coping with the
problem of micronutrient deficiency in the diet of humans and
animals (Mrvcic et al. 2007).
The aim of the present work was to assess the influence
of addition of the microalgae Spirulina maxima enriched by
biosorption biomass to the animal feed. Feeding
experiments on swine were conducted to investigate their effect
on production performance, metabolical and physiological
parameters in fattening pigs.
Material and methods
Spirulina maxima obtained from the Culture Collection of
Algal Laboratory Institute of Botany, Academy of Sciences
of the Czech Republic was cultivated in Schlsser (1982)
medium, prepared with technical grade reagents in a stirred
tank reactor (dimensions 1.12 m 3.6 m) with a capacity of
10 m3, covered by a glasshouse, equipped with the biomass
separation system (six bag filters, average pore size 6 m,
Desjoyaux (...truncated)