An assessment of the copper status of dairy herds in the Waikato, Taranaki and Northland in spring and the effects of daily supplementation with copper sulphate

Authors: Lowe MD, Dewes HF, McKay CE
Publication: New Zealand Veterinary Journal, Volume 38, Issue 3, pp 98-101, Sep 1990
Publisher: Taylor and Francis

Animal type: Cattle, Livestock, Production animal, Ruminant
Subject Terms: Clinical pathology, Diagnostic procedures, Copper, Trace elements, Diet/rations/food, Nutrition/metabolism, Nervous system/neurology, Poisoning - chemical
Article class: Scientific Article

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Abstract: The copper status of dairy herds in the Waikato, Taranaki and Northland regions between 1 August and 30 September was assessed by copper determinations made on composite sera from ten cows in each herd. Comparisons were made between two major groups categorised as “as received” and “supplemented”. In the latter, the cows received 2.0-6.0 g/day of copper sulphate orally from late gestation to the end of lactation. Mean copper values were determined from pastures in Taranaki and Northland and from pastures from three soil types in the Waikato. The lowest were in Northland (134.3 µmol/kg) and the highest in Taranaki (173.3 µmol/kg). Calculated dietary available copper levels showed the lowest were from pastures grown on organic soils in the Waikato. These soils also had high molybdenum levels. Serum copper values “as received” were lowest in Northland (7.30 µmol/l), and were marginal for both Taranaki (9.91 µmol/l) and the Waikato (9.93 µmol/l). The levels in “supplemented” herds were considerably higher, i.e. from the Waikato 11.7 µmol/l and from Taranaki 11.5 µmol/l. When liver and serum copper levels from paired samples were compared there was a reasonable correlation (r = 0.64) but the standard deviation approximated the mean liver copper level, i.e. 155 ± 141 µmol/l.

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