Pharmacological copper boosts pig growth, carcass gains

Performance outcomes

Results showed clear advantages for pigs fed pharmacological copper:

• ✅ Grower period (day 0–56): Higher average daily gain and body weight, with tendencies for greater feed intake and improved feed efficiency.
• ✅ Finisher period (day 56–end): No significant differences in growth or feed efficiency.
• ✅ Overall: Higher average daily gain and heavier hot carcass weights, with no changes in carcass yield, backfat, loin depth, or lean percentage.

Mortality and removals did not differ between treatments, indicating copper supplementation did not affect health outcomes.

Economic findings

Feed cost per pound of gain tended to rise with copper supplementation. However, income over feed cost remained stable, showing that profitability was not negatively impacted. Importantly, no differences were observed between copper sources, giving producers flexibility in ingredient selection.

Implications for pig production

The study reinforces copper’s role as a growth promoter in swine diets, particularly during the grower phase. Heavier carcasses at marketing provide added value without compromising carcass quality. Producers can adopt copper supplementation to accelerate growth and improve market weights while maintaining economic efficiency.

Regional implications

For Southeast Asian producers, the findings carry added weight. Rapidly expanding swine industries in countries such as Vietnam, Thailand, and the Philippines face rising demand for pork. Faster growth in the grower phase can shorten production cycles, while heavier carcasses strengthen supply. Flexibility in copper source selection is especially relevant in a region where feed ingredient imports vary widely.

By applying pharmacological copper supplementation, pig producers in the region may enhance efficiency and competitiveness, supporting stable pork supplies in increasingly urbanized markets.