Comparison of the Microbiome-Metabolome Response to Copper Sulfate and Copper Glycinate in Growing Pigs.

This study aims to compare the fecal microbiome-metabolome response to copper sulfate (CuSO 4 ) and copper glycinate (Cu-Gly) in pigs. Twelve Meishan gilts were allocated into the CuSO 4 group and the Cu-Gly group (fed on a basal diet supplemented with 60 mg/kg copper from CuSO 4 or Cu-Gly) paired in litter and body weight. After a two-week feeding trial, the Cu-Gly group had a higher copper digestibility, blood hemoglobin, and platelet volume and higher levels of plasma iron and insulin-like growth factor-1 than the CuSO 4 group. The Cu-Gly treatment increased the abundance of the Lachnospiraceae family and the genera Lachnospiraceae XPB1014 , Corprococcus_3 , Anaerorhabdus_furcosa_group , Lachnospiraceae_FCS020_group , and Lachnospiraceae_NK4B4_group and decreased the abundance of the Synergistetes phylum and Peptostreptococcaceae family compared to the CuSO 4 treatment. Moreover, the Cu-Gly group had a lower concentration of 20-Oxo-leukotriene E4 and higher concentrations of butyric acid, pentanoic acid, isopentanoic acid, coumarin, and Nb-p-Coumaroyl-tryptamine than the CuSO 4 group. The abundance of Synergistetes was positively correlated with the fecal copper content and negatively correlated with the fecal butyric acid content. The abundance of the Lachnospiraceae_XPB1014_group genus was positively correlated with the plasma iron level and fecal contents of coumarin and butyric acid. In conclusion, Cu-Gly and CuSO 4 could differentially affect fecal microbiota and metabolites, which partially contributes to the intestinal health of pigs in different manners.