An investigation into copper deficiency in cattle in the Southern Pennines. I. Identification of suspect areas using geochemical reconnaissance followed by blood copper surveys

Abstract

SUMMARYSevere clinical copper deficiency has been recognized for some years on a number of farms within an area of 10 square miles in North Staffordshire. Response to injected copper is good and supplementation is now regular practice. One of the causes would appear to be a dietary excess of molybdenum, confirmed in soil and pasture.Geochemical reconnaissance in 1965 delineated areas totalling 60 square miles, including the above area, in which molybdenum occurs in above normal concentrations in stream sediments, rocks, soils and pasture. The source of the molybdenum was found to be black marine shales of Carboniferous age. Within the areas the presence of molybdeniferous soils and pasture is related to local variation in geology and parent material and is in particular affected by drift cover.Blood copper analysis on 350 cattle from 26 herds, excluding those herds in which deficiency was previously recognized, indicated hypocupraemia in 64% within the geochemically denned molybdeniferous area compared to 35 % in nearby control areas. Excluding animals fed minerals, the results were 77 and 37%, respectively. On the whole, deficient animals showed no marked clinical symptoms of hypocuprosis, though unthriftiness and poor fertility are common in the area.

Effects of Plane of Nutrition, Confinement System, and Forage Preservation on Supplemental Mineral Intake and Content of Minerals in the Blood of Pregnant Beef Cows

“…According to these results silage-fed animals may become deficient in Cu since the values for the silagc-fed groups were bclow those defined as indicating a deficiency (Thornton et al 1972) whereas those fed hay maintained plasma copper levels within the normal range. Hartmans and Bosman (1970) (Miltimore et al 1970), or where grass silages form the basis of the rations, or in both arcas.…”

Geochemistry and health in the United Kingdom

“…In Derbyshire, Mo anomalies in stream sediment led to the recognition of areas totalling some 150 km2 in which over 75 % of the cattle were hypocupraemic but showed no clinical signs of hypocuprosis (Thornton et al 1972). Subsequent Cu supplementati responses in live-weight gain in young cattle ranging from 14 to 32 kg per animal over a grazing season of 6 months.…”

The role of organic sulphur in the copper-molybdenum-S interrelationship in ruminant nutrition

“…Dick therefore concluded that inorganic SO, was the additional factor involved in the Cu-Mo antagonism. In recent field and experimental studies of the Cu-Mo-sulphur interrelationship in ruminant nutrition, emphasis was also given to the inorganic S component in the ruminant diet (Bingley & Anderson, 1972;Thornton, Kershaw & Davies, 1972;Todd, 1972). Further evidence that SO, is still considered to be the crucial third factor in the interaction is evident from the recent review by Underwood (1972).…”