Copper and selenium supplementation in the diet of Brangus steers on the nutritional characteristics of meat

• Published in: Revista brasileira de zootecnia Vol. 42; no. 1; pp. 70 - 75
• Main Authors: Netto, Arlindo Saran, Zanetti, Marcus Antonio, Del Claro, Gustavo Ribeiro, Vilela, Flávio Garcia, Melo, Mariza Pires de, Correa, Lísia Bertonha, Pugine, Silvana Marina Piccoli
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Sociedade Brasileira de Zootecnia 01-01-2013
• Subjects: AGRICULTURE, DAIRY & ANIMAL SCIENCE; cattle; concentrations; fatty acids; minerals; VETERINARY SCIENCES; minerals; cattle; concentrations; fatty acids
• ISSN: 1516-3598; 1806-9290; 1516-3598; 1806-9290
• DOI: 10.1590/S1516-35982013000100010

Twenty-eight Brangus cattle were used to determine the effect of copper and selenium supplementation on the carcass characteristics, fatty acid composition of the longissimus dorsi muscle and on the copper and selenium concentrations in the liver. The treatments were: no supplementation of copper or selenium; 2 mg Se/kg DM as sodium selenite; 40 mg Cu/kg DM as copper sulfate; and 2 mg Se/kg DM as sodium selenite and 40 mg Cu/kg DM as copper sulfate. The fat thickness, rib eye area and fatty acid composition of the longissimus dorsi muscle were not affected by treatments. There was no effect on carcass yield and cooling loss with the supplementation of copper, selenium or selenium × copper in the levels studied. For the ether extract concentration in the longissimus dorsi muscle, no differences were found according to the treatments with selenium, copper or selenium × copper. The treatments with selenium and selenium × copper showed higher selenium concentrations in the liver than the control and copper treatments. For the copper concentration in the liver, the copper and selenium × copper treatments showed higher values than the control and selenium treatments. Despite the little effect on the meat composition, the results of this experiment demonstrate no interaction between selenium and copper in the levels studied.