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The effect of molybdenum, sulphur and iron on the copper status of store lambs

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  20 November 2017

A.M. Mackenzie
Affiliation:
ASRC, School of Agriculture, Harper Adams University College, Newport, Shropshire TF10 8NB, UK
S Evans
Affiliation:
ASRC, School of Agriculture, Harper Adams University College, Newport, Shropshire TF10 8NB, UK
J.N.C. Lynn
Affiliation:
ASRC, School of Agriculture, Harper Adams University College, Newport, Shropshire TF10 8NB, UK
D.V. Illingworth
Affiliation:
Centre for Animal Sciences, LIBA, School of Biology, University of Leeds, LS2 9JT, UK
R.G. Wilkinson
Affiliation:
ASRC, School of Agriculture, Harper Adams University College, Newport, Shropshire TF10 8NB, UK
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Extract

Clinical copper deficiency is the second most common mineral deficiency in the world, the main cause being high dietary levels of molybdenum, sulphur and iron. Phillippo et al, (1987) reported that clinical signs of deficiency resulted from high dietary Mo and S. However, Fe and S resulted in hypocupraemia but did not induce clinical signs of deficiency. Therefore is was concluded that clinical copper deficiency was due to a direct effect of dietary Mo and S on copper metabolism in ruminants. Mackenzie et al. (1997) reported that plasma copper levels were not an accurate indicator of copper status and unlikely to predict animals requiring copper supplementation. Caeruloplasmin is large copper enzyme and accounts for 88% of plasma copper and Mackenzie et al. (1997) proposed that a caeruloplasmin to plasma copper ratio may provide a more accurate biochemical indicator of copper status. This trial was designed to investigate the effect of dietary Mo, S and Fe on the copper status of the lambs.

Type
Poster Presentations
Copyright
Copyright © The British Society of Animal Science 2000

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References

Mackenzie, A.M., Illingworth, D.V., Jackson, D.W. and Telfer, S.B. 1997. The use of caeruloplasmin activities and plasma copper concentrations as indicators of copper status in ruminants. In: Trace Elements in Man and Animal -9: Proceedings of the Ninth International Symposium on Trace Elements in Man and Animals. (Edited by Fischer, P.W.F., L'Abbé, M.R., Cockell, K.A. and Gibson, R.S.). NRC Research Press, Ottawa, Canada. pp. 137138.Google Scholar
Phillippo, M., Humphries, W.R., Atkinson, T., Henderson, G.D. and Garthwaite, P.H. 1987. The effect of dietary molybdenum and iron on copper status, puberty, fertility and oestrus cycle in cattle. Journal of Agricultural Scence 109: 321336.CrossRefGoogle Scholar