This study evaluated the effects of partially replacing inorganic copper, zinc, and manganese with hydroxychloride or methionine-bound organic sources on growth performance, antioxidant status, serum mineral concentrations, and mineral utilization in finishing Baluchi lambs. Twenty male ram lambs were randomly assigned to four dietary treatments for 60 days: a control group without supplemental minerals (CTR), a sulfate group receiving 100% of supplemental minerals as sulfates (SULF), a hydroxy group receiving 70% sulfates and 30% hydroxychloride sources (HYDRO), and an organic group receiving 70% sulfates and 30% methionine-complexed minerals (ORG). All supplemented diets were formulated to provide similar total concentrations of Cu, Zn, and Mn in accordance with NRC requirements. Growth performance and feed intake did not differ significantly among treatments (p > 0.05). Serum mineral concentrations were affected by dietary treatments (p < 0.0001), with lower Zn and Cu concentrations observed in the ORG. Urinary Mn excretion was higher in ORG (p = 0.007), whereas Zn and Cu excretion were not significantly affected. Apparent mineral absorption was not significantly different among treatments, although numerical variation was observed. Antioxidant parameters were influenced by mineral source, with higher glutathione peroxidase activity and total antioxidant capacity in ORG and HYDRO groups (p < 0.0001). These findings suggest that partial replacement of inorganic trace minerals with hydroxychloride or organic sources can modulate antioxidant status and mineral metabolism without affecting growth performance, highlighting the potential of mixed-source supplementation strategies in practical feeding systems.
Torghabeh et al. (Wed,) studied this question.