The antibacterial effect of the bile content in pigs can be related to the copper levels in the liver. Photo: Shutterstock
Bile is not often a topic in Pig Progress but the fluid may well have a more important function for successful pig farming than was thought. Experiences show that copper, which is absorbed, stored in the liver, and excreted into the bile, exerts an antimicrobial mode of action resulting in improved growth rates and feed efficiency. Copper is often suggested to have a growth-promoting effect in pigs. That has been attributed to its antibacterial effect beside others like a systemic effect which
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