Beneficial effect of zinc supplementation on reproduction in rats fed rapeseed protein concentrate.

Three groups of 33 90-day-old female Sprague-Dawley rats were fed, ad libitum, the following diets for 2 weeks before breeding. Diet 1 (D1) contained 20% protein from casein, diet 2 (D2) had the same level of protein from Tower rapeseed (Brassica napus) protein concontrate (RPC) and diet 3 (D3) was the same as D2 with a zinc supplement (70 mg/l) in the drinking water. From each group 6 animals were killed before breeding and 5-9 animals were killed at 1 and 2 weeks of gestation and post-partum. From each rat, blood, thyroids, liver and femur were collected for the determination of zinc, copper, iron, manganese, calcium and magnesium. As a measure of the reproductive performance, body weight, number of pups in the uterus or delivered live or dead, and gestations days before parturition were recorded. The pups were examined for obvious deformities and also analysed for the above mineral elements by atomic absorption spectroscopy. In group D2, levels of zinc in maternal serum, liver, femur and in the pups were significantly lower than the comparable levels in the other two groups. The zinc supplemented RPC-fed group did not show the anorexia experienced by the unsupplemented group and there was neither a significant difference between reproductive performances of groups D1 and D3 nor was there any significant difference between the zinc levels determined. It was concluded that the toxic symptoms caused by RPC feeding was attributable to zinc deficiency probably caused by the high phytate level in the RPC.