The Study
The impact of copper status on lubabegron fumarate-induced growth and adipose immune cell infiltration in beef feedlot steers
This study gave different groups of cows different amounts of copper and a growth medicine, then watched what happened. It found that the medicine worked better in cows with less copper in their livers. But this only tells us about cows—not people or other animals.
Analysis score
Maximum 90 for a randomized controlled trial.
Where the score came from
Cows given a growth-promoting drug called lubabegron grow more muscle—but only if they don’t have too much copper in their liver. Too much copper makes the drug work poorly.
Where does this study sit?
Reviews of RCTs (Meta-analyses)
Max 100Randomized Trials
Max 90Reviews of Cohort Studies
Max 85Cohort Studies
Max 72Reviews of Case-Control Studies
Max 63Case-Control Studies
Max 58Cross-Sectional & Case Series
Max 50Expert Opinion
Max 517 / 100
Quality score
Participants are randomly assigned to treatment or control groups, minimizing bias. The gold standard for testing whether an intervention causes an effect.
Key takeaways
Summary
Based on the study abstract and findings.
- 1Yes—this means farmers can save money by adjusting copper levels in feed to make growth drugs work better, improving meat production efficiency.
- 2Cows with low copper (42 mg/kg liver) got 29% better at turning food into muscle.
- 3Cows with high copper (193 mg/kg) only got 6% better.
- 4The drug also made all cows more sensitive to insulin and increased their lean weight by 15%.
Score breakdown, methodology, conflicts of interest, evidence analysis & raw study data
Publication
Journal
Journal of Animal Science
Year
2026
Authors
Jacob A Henderson, Jodi L. McGill, Stephanie L. Hansen
Related Content
Claims (6)
Administering beta-agonists to cattle results in increased lean muscle mass and higher body weight by stimulating adrenergic pathways.
In beef cattle with low liver copper levels, adding lubabegron fumarate to their diet increases feed efficiency by 29% over 37 days; in cattle with normal copper levels, the same supplement increases feed efficiency by only 6%.
Lubabegron fumarate increases insulin sensitivity in beef steers, as measured by the RQUICKI index, with significant improvements on days 55 and 76 compared to baseline, regardless of copper levels in the diet.
In beef cattle, low copper levels in the liver are associated with increased numbers of immune cells called macrophages and monocytes in fat tissue when the animals are given lubabegron fumarate, compared to cattle with normal copper levels.
Lubabegron fumarate increases the rate of weight gain in beef steers by 15% when measured after adjusting for carcass composition, and this gain is due to increased lean tissue rather than changes in gut contents.
Beef steers fed copper supplements at 10 mg per kg of feed consume 4% more dry matter than those without copper supplements, whether or not they are given lubabegron.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before making health decisions.