Bovine vs. Porcine Heart Valves: What’s the Difference?

Medically reviewed by Vedran Radonić, M.D., Ph.D.

Written by Lauren Sherman, M.S.

Posted on September 4, 2026

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Key Takeaways

For people with structural heart disease who need heart valve replacement surgery, one important choice involves deciding between a biological valve made from cow tissue or one made from pig tissue.

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For people with structural heart disease, heart valve replacement surgery can involve several decisions, including which type of replacement valve to use. Biological heart valves are made from animal tissue, most commonly bovine (cow) or porcine (pig) tissue.

At first, these two options may sound very similar. However, differences in how bovine and porcine valves are made, how long they may last, and how they perform could affect which one is a better fit for you.

Here, we’ll compare bovine and porcine heart valves so you can better understand the differences and have a more informed conversation with your doctor.

Bovine vs. Porcine Valves
	Bovine Valve	Porcine Valve
Where the tissue comes from	Cow pericardium (sac that surrounds a cow’s heart)	Pig heart valve
How it’s used	Tissue is shaped into new flaps	Natural pig valve flaps are used
Typical lifespan	About 10 to 20 years; varies by valve model and other factors	About 10 to 20 years; varies by valve model and other factors

How Are Bovine and Porcine Heart Valves Made?

Valve replacement surgery can involve replacing any of the heart’s valves, including the aortic, mitral, tricuspid, and pulmonary valves. They can be replaced with a mechanical valve or a biological valve from a cow or pig.

One important distinction between these two animal sources is how they are made. A bovine valve isn’t usually an intact cow heart valve.

It’s usually made from cow pericardium, the strong sac that surrounds the cow’s heart. Manufacturers shape that tissue into leaflets, the flexible flaps that make up the valve.

Porcine valves are made differently. Manufacturers use a pig’s natural valve tissue, usually from the aortic valve, and prepare it for implantation.

Both bovine and porcine tissues are processed and preserved before implantation. They may or may not be attached to a supporting frame, called a stent, that helps the valve hold its shape.

Does a Cow Valve Last Longer Than a Pig Valve?

It’s not currently known whether a cow valve lasts longer than a pig valve, or vice versa. Biological heart valves — no matter what they’re made of — generally last about 10 to 20 years.

Studies directly comparing a cow valve vs. a pig valve have produced mixed results. It’s more accurate to consider the valve position and individual valve model than to assume one tissue source will always last longer.

Aortic Valve Studies

A large Swedish study looked at 12,845 people who received a bovine or porcine aortic valve. Researchers found that people with porcine valves had a higher rate of needing another aortic valve operation.

The same study also found a small difference in long-term survival. People with porcine valves lived slightly longer than people with cow valves.

However, other studies have had different results. A smaller study compared bovine and porcine surgical aortic valves. Researchers found similar long-term survival and similar chances of needing another valve procedure.

A 2026 study of 351 people who had surgical aortic valve replacement also found some differences between the two valve types. Bovine valves had lower pressure gradients, meaning blood moved through them with less resistance. However, survival and deterioration of the valve were similar between the groups.

This adds to the evidence that differences in blood flow don’t always mean one type of valve lasts longer or leads to better long-term outcomes.

Mitral Valve Studies

Research on mitral valves has also found mixed results. A 2026 study comparing bovine and porcine mitral valves found that people with bovine valves had fewer reoperations related to structural valve damage. Overall survival was similar between the two groups.

A 2025 systematic review of nine studies involving 6,945 people found inconsistent results. Three studies favored porcine valves, two favored bovine valves, and four found no clear difference in valve damage.

The researchers said that differences in valve models, age groups, study methods, and how valve damage was defined made it difficult to say which valve was better. People under 65 generally had better results with porcine valves.

These conflicting findings show that researchers still don’t know whether bovine or porcine mitral valves are generally more durable.

How Do Bovine and Porcine Valves Perform Differently?

Researchers often measure how well a valve works by studying how blood flows through the valve, how much the valve wears down over time, and long-term survival.

**Blood Flow**

People require native heart valve replacement when the valves experience significant regurgitation (leaking) or stenosis (narrowing). Hemodynamics (blood flow) describes how blood flows through the heart and blood vessels and the forces that affect it.

A replacement valve has good hemodynamics when blood can move through a wide enough opening without a large change in pressure. This change in pressure is called a pressure gradient. Lower gradients often mean blood can pass through the valve more easily.

Some research on bovine and porcine aortic valves has found lower pressure gradients with bovine valves. One randomized study found that the difference was greater with smaller valves.

Even so, these better blood-flow measurements have not consistently resulted in better long-term outcomes.

**Valve Deterioration**

Both bovine and porcine valves can eventually develop structural valve deterioration (valve damage). This happens when permanent changes occur in the valve tissue.

The leaflets of the valve can become calcified (hardened by calcium), thick and stiff, or torn. These changes can cause the valve to narrow or leak.

Research on failed valves suggests the two tissue types may have different patterns of damage. In one comparison, bovine valves were more often affected by calcification and stenosis (narrowing). Porcine valves more often developed leaflet tears that caused regurgitation (leakage).

If the damage becomes serious, another valve procedure may be needed. However, just as with blood-flow differences, having less structural damage doesn’t necessarily mean better overall survival or other long-term outcomes.

What Factors May Affect Which Valve You Get?

With so many models on the market today, the choice may feel overwhelming. Your surgeon will likely recommend a valve that fits your needs.

Heart valve guidelines emphasize shared decision-making, meaning you and your healthcare team consider the benefits and drawbacks of the options together.

Factors your cardiologist and heart surgeon may consider include:

Age
Specific anatomy
Risk of bleeding or blood clots
Medical conditions
Whether another surgery or a valve-in-valve catheter procedure may be needed in the future if the tissue valve wears out
Personal or religious preferences

How Do Biological Valves Compare With Mechanical Valves?

Bovine and porcine valves are both bioprosthetic valves, meaning they’re made from biological tissue. Mechanical valves are made from durable manufactured materials, usually metal or carbon.

Mechanical valves may last for life, but people who receive them generally need lifelong treatment with a blood thinner to reduce the chance of a blood clot forming on the valve. On the other hand, biological tissue valves have a limited lifespan and may eventually need another procedure.

One MyHeartDiseaseTeam member described their experience taking a blood thinner after surgery. “I had mitral valve surgery and was on a blood thinner. Talk about a headache. Being on Coumadin, I felt worse after that surgery … like my heart was crashing. I had no energy and was pushing myself because I was dizzy all the time. It was so hard.”