Table 4.

Effects of increasing Cu from either CuSO₄ or combinations of CuSO₄ and Cu-AA on finishing pig carcass characteristics¹

								Probability, P <
	Control2	CuSO43, mg/kg		CuSO43/Cu-AA4, mg/kg					Cu level
Item	17	70	130	70	100	130	SEM	Cu source5	Linear	Quadratic
Yield, %	72.36	72.57	71.91	72.66	72.61	72.44	0.333	0.329	0.796	0.179
HCW, kg	93.04	93.84	93.89	93.72	94.73	92.92	1.353	0.547	0.493	0.247
Backfat6, mm.	17.3	17.4	17.4	17.5	17.2	17.1	0.36	0.836	0.687	0.770
Loin depth6, mm.	63.6	63.5	63.1	63.9	63.3	65.2	1.06	0.201	0.790	0.617
Lean6, %	55.91	55.84	55.82	55.81	55.98	56.22	0.264	0.363	0.605	0.581
HCW ADG7, kg	0.620	0.628	0.628	0.627	0.635	0.619	0.0079	0.552	0.519	0.229
HCW G:F	0.259	0.260	0.259	0.264	0.263	0.266	0.0025	0.033	0.213	0.589

¹A total of 1,089 pigs (PIC 280 × 1050; Genus PIC, Hendersonville, TN; initially 37.3 ± 2.8 kg) were used with 25 or 26 pigs per pen and 7 pens per treatment in a 105-d growth study.

²The trace mineral premix was formulated to contribute 17 mg/kg of Cu from CuSO₄ to the complete basal diet.

³CuSO₄ = copper sulfate (Prince Agri. Products, Quincy, IL). Values represent the sum of added Cu from the premix and supplemental Cu from CuSO₄.

⁴CuSO₄/Cu-AA = 50:50 blend of Cu from copper sulfate and copper-amino acid complex (Availa-Cu, Zinpro Corporation, Eden Prairie, MN). Values represent the sum of added Cu from the premix and supplemental Cu from CuSO₄/Cu-AA blend.

⁵Based on diets containing 70 and 130 mg/kg Cu.

⁶HCW was used as a covariate. Percentage lean was calculated using equations from the National Pork Producers Council (2000).

⁷An initial HCW was established using an assumed initial carcass yield of 75%.