Table 1.
Composition of basal diet fed to rats, %.
Table 2.
Experimental schemaa (provided copper dosage was calculated taking into account CuCO3 in MX or copper from Cu nanoparticles preparation).
Table 3.
Composition of mineral mixtures (MX) used in experimental diets, g/kg.
Table 4.
Copper excretion patterns in the digestibility and utilisation test as well as Cu concentration in liver and brain tissues.
Table 5.
Dietary intake, final body weight (BW), proportion of body fat and lean mass, and relative weights of selected internal organ of rats.
Table 6.
Activity of microbial enzymes in caecal digesta of rats (μmol/h/g fresh caecal digesta).
Table 7.
Activity of microbial enzymes in caecal digesta of rats (μmol/h/g fresh caecal digesta).
Table 8.
Activity of selected enzymes in plasma of rats fed experimental diets (U/l).
Table 9.
The relative weight of small intestine with contents, measurements of jejunal villi and crypts in experimental rats as well as basic caecal indices.
Fig 1.
Morphological effects of different Cu sources on rat intestine—(A) CuD group; (B) CuS-H, CuS-L i CuNP-L groups; (C) CuNP-H group (magnification 10×).
Table 10.
Short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) concentration and profile in the caecal digesta of rats.
Fig 2.
Morphological effects of different Cu sources on rat liver.
(A-B) CuD group showing low-grade hydropic degeneration (A, magnification10×; B, magnification 10×); (C-D) CuS-H, CuS-L i CuNP-L groups showing medium-grade hydropic degeneration (C, magnification 20×; D, magnification 4×); (E-F) CuNP-H group showing high-grade hydropic degeneration and necrotic lesions (E, magnification; 20×; F, magnification 4×). Experimental groups: see Table 2.