Pig World
  • News
      • Animal Health
      • Breeding
      • Business
      • Environment
      • EU
      • Food Safety
      • Housing
      • Marketing
      • NPA
      • National Pig Awards
      • New Products
      • Nutrition
      • People
      • Pig Fair
      • Politics
      • Training & Education
      • Welfare
  • Features
    • Animal Health
    • Breeding
    • Environment
    • Farm Visits
    • Herd Recording
    • Housing
    • Marketing
    • Nutrition
    • Products
    • Training
  • Comment
    • AHDB Pork
    • Chris Fogden
    • Dennis Bridgeford
    • Peter Crichton
    • Red Robin
    • Veterinary View
    • Zoe Davies, NPA
  • Numbers
  • Pig Prices
  • Magazines
    • June 2025
    • 2025 Innovation supplement
    • May 2025
    • April 2025
    • March 2025
    • 2025 Buildings supplement
    • February 2025
    • 2025 Nutrition Supplement
    • January 2025
    • December 2024
    • November 2024
    • 2025 National Pig Awards supplement
    • October 2024
    • September 2024
    • August 2024
    • 2024 Pig Health supplement
    • July 2024
    • June 2024
    • 2024 Innovation supplement
    • 2024 Pig & Poultry Fair Guide
    • May 2024
    • April 2024
    • 2024 Buildings Supplement
    • March 2024
    • 2024 Pig Nutrition supplement
    • February 2024
    • January 2024
    • December 2023
    • November 2023
    • 2023 National Pig Awards supplement
    • October 2023
    • September 2023
    • Health Supplement
  • Suppliers
  • Jobs
    • Browse Jobs
    • Post a Job
    • Manage Jobs
  • Classified
  • Events
    • Pigs Tomorrow
    • National Pig Awards
Podcast
Pig WorldPig World
  • News
      • Animal Health
      • Breeding
      • Business
      • Environment
      • EU
      • Food Safety
      • Housing
      • Marketing
      • NPA
      • National Pig Awards
      • New Products
      • Nutrition
      • People
      • Pig Fair
      • Politics
      • Training & Education
      • Welfare
  • Features
    • Animal Health
    • Breeding
    • Environment
    • Farm Visits
    • Herd Recording
    • Housing
    • Marketing
    • Nutrition
    • Products
    • Training
  • Comment
    • AHDB Pork
    • Chris Fogden
    • Dennis Bridgeford
    • Peter Crichton
    • Red Robin
    • Veterinary View
    • Zoe Davies, NPA
  • Numbers
  • Pig Prices
  • Magazines
    1. June 2025
    2. 2025 Innovation supplement
    3. May 2025
    4. April 2025
    5. March 2025
    6. 2025 Buildings supplement
    7. February 2025
    8. 2025 Nutrition Supplement
    9. January 2025
    10. December 2024
    11. November 2024
    12. 2025 National Pig Awards supplement
    13. October 2024
    14. September 2024
    15. August 2024
    16. 2024 Pig Health supplement
    17. July 2024
    18. June 2024
    19. 2024 Innovation supplement
    20. 2024 Pig & Poultry Fair Guide
    21. May 2024
    22. April 2024
    23. 2024 Buildings Supplement
    24. March 2024
    25. 2024 Pig Nutrition supplement
    26. February 2024
    27. January 2024
    28. December 2023
    29. November 2023
    30. 2023 National Pig Awards supplement
    31. October 2023
    32. September 2023
    33. Health Supplement
    Featured

    June 2025 issue of Pig World now available

    June 4, 2025
    Recent

    June 2025 issue of Pig World now available

    June 4, 2025

    2025 Innovation supplement now available

    June 4, 2025

    May 2025 issue of Pig World now available

    May 1, 2025
  • Suppliers
  • Jobs
    • Browse Jobs
    • Post a Job
    • Manage Jobs
  • Classified
  • Events
    • Pigs Tomorrow
    • National Pig Awards
LinkedIn X (Twitter)
Pig World
Animal Health

NPA expresses ‘significant concerns’ over proposed copper reductions

Alistair DriverBy Alistair DriverNovember 8, 20173 Mins Read
LinkedIn Twitter Facebook Email

NPA senior policy advisor Georgina Crayford has written to the Food Standards Agency (FSA) about the NPA’s ‘significant concerns’ over proposed new copper limitsĀ in piglet feed.

Last year, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA)Ā recommended a massive reduction in permitted copper levels in piglets diets, from 170mg/kg to justĀ 25mg/kg, due to environmental concerns. This was alongside much lower proposed reductions for cattle.

EFSA said the recommended levels were considered sufficient to satisfy the nutritional needs for copper of these animal groups and were based on an ‘extensive systematic literature reviewĀ and data collected from Member States and stakeholders’. The reviewĀ panel estimatedĀ that the reduction of copper in feed for piglets would reduce the release of copper into the environment through manure by 20%.

The proposal is due to be discussed at a meeting of the European Commission’s Standing Committee on Plants, Animals, Food and Feed this week.

TheĀ NPA is concerned that reductions in copper comingĀ at the same time as the industry faces the loss of zinc oxide and pressure to reduce antibiotic use will make it very difficult to control post-weaning diarrhoea in piglets.

ā€œWe need to avoid drastic reductions soĀ thatĀ members can focus on antibiotic reduction unhindered at this critical time,” Dr Crayford said.

Improved performanceĀ 

In the letter to the FSA, she noted thatĀ ‘numerous studies’ have shown that supplementation of the diet with copper (Cu) at pharmacological levels (150–250 mg/kg) improves growth performance in weaned pigs. This is whyĀ commercial diets for weaned pigs up to 12Ā weeks generally contain a Cu supplement close to 170 mg/kg in the EU.

Recent studies haveĀ demonstrated a loss in performance in weaned pigs during the nursery period when Cu supplementation was reduced, alongside an increased number of pigs with loose faeces and diarrhoea.

Dr Crayford wrote: “The UK pig industry is currently making great progress in reducing antibiotic use and is targeting aĀ 60% reduction over five years to 2020.

“Reductions in permitted levels of copper in the diet of weaned pigs, coupled with a ban on zinc oxide, would result in an increased incidence of post-weaning diarrhoea, which would negatively affect piglet welfare and hamper the ability of the pig sector to further reduce its use of antibiotics.

“Indeed, if the pig industry were to lose the beneficial effects of both zinc oxide and copper one might expect to see increased use of antibiotics, which in turn may result in development of resistant bacteria, jeopardising the health of both animals and humans.”

Environmental concerns

She said the NPA recognisedĀ the importance of minimising harm to soil ecosystems from elevated concentrations of heavy metals, including Cu. But she cited research by the UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology that, while identifying a statistically significant increase in Cu concentrations in UK soils between 1998 and 2007, found no changes were detected in arable land where most animal manure is applied.

“This suggests that extraction of copper from the soil by cropping helps to prevent increases in concentrations of this metal from application of animal manure,” Dr Crayford wrote.

“It is for these reasons that NPA strongly opposes substantial reductions in permitted copper levels for piglet feed.

“Minimal reductions may be acceptable, but maximum limits set below that which we expect the European Commission to propose this week (150 ppm during 4 weeks after weaning and 100 ppm from week 5 to week 8 post-weaning) would be unworkable.

“We urge the Food Standards Agency to support our view and highlight these concerns to the European Commission.”

Share. LinkedIn Facebook Twitter Email
Previous ArticleEuropean vets call on Brexit negotiators to secure animal welfare, surveillance and medicines
Next Article WHO proposes new restrictions on critically important antibiotics
Alistair Driver

Editor Pig World, group editor Agronomist and Arable Farmer and Farm Contractor. National Pig Association webmaster. Former political editor at Farmers Guardian. Occasional media pundit. Brought up on a Leicestershire farm. Works from a shed in his Oxfordshire garden.

Read Similar Stories

Industry’s needs will be taken into account in farrowing reforms – Zeichner

June 17, 2025

Eurostar passengers encouraged to purchase pork products before boarding – report

June 17, 2025

Pig industry veteran Hugh Crabtree awarded MBE

June 16, 2025
Latest News

Industry’s needs will be taken into account in farrowing reforms – Zeichner

June 17, 2025

Eurostar passengers encouraged to purchase pork products before boarding – report

June 17, 2025

Pig industry veteran Hugh Crabtree awarded MBE

June 16, 2025
Sponsored Content

THE GATEKEEPER OF RESPIRATORY HEALTH – MYCOPLASMA HYOPNEUMONIAE (M.HYO)

April 30, 2024

Tackle the root cause of PWD with free diagnostic tests

March 1, 2024
Current Pig Industry jobs
  • Farrowing Manager

    • Suffolk
    • Blythburgh Pigs
    • Full Time
  • Pig Stockperson – Ref 1752 Somerset

    • Somerset
    • Roadhogs Recruitment Ltd.
    • Full Time
  • Senior Piggery Stockpersons – Ref 1751 Western Australia

    • Western Australia
    • Roadhogs Recruitment Ltd.
    • Full Time
GETTING IN TOUCH
  • Advertise
  • Contact Us
  • Meet The Editors
  • About Us
  • Email Newsletters
  • Subscribe
  • Reuse permissions
OUR SOCIAL CHANNELS
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
PARTNER EVENTS
RELATED SITES
  • Farmers Weekly
  • Agronomist & Arable Farmer
  • Farm Contractor
  • National Pig Awards
  • Pigs Tomorrow
  • Poultry News
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookies Policy
  • Terms and Conditions
Ā© 2024 MA Agriculture Ltd, a Mark Allen Group company

Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.