Copper is a natural antimicrobial material that, when added to pig feed, may promote the growth and health of the animals. Since pigs can tolerate high levels of the metal, researchers at Texas Tech University in Amarillo recently investigated whether copper might be used to promote their gut health and reduce the shedding of microbes to the environment. 

This week in Microbiology Spectrum, the researchers report that small beads containing copper, when added to pig feed, effectively deliver the metal to the animal gut.