58. Copper nutrition – Part Two, clinical signs suggestive of copper deficiency

Dairy, sheep, beef, or deer farming? There’s something for everyone in our latest “bite sized” copper-themed miniseries podcast. Building on the introduction to copper nutrition in Episode 57, this podcast explores signs that ruminants might (or might not) show when copper deficient. Often we don’t see obvious signs of copper deficiency - this is called a “sub-clinical” deficiency. Which means animals simply don’t grow or perform well but don't show any classic signs of copper deficiency.  A "clinical" copper deficiency simply means that we see obvious signs in animals that are suggestive of a low copper status.

Our latest podcast covers clinical signs that can be linked with copper deficiency. Covering all ruminant species, we explore a a range of clinical signs of copper deficiency. Topics discussed include a possible role for copper deficiency in shoulder fractures in young dairy heifers, scouring in young cattle, swayback in sheep and deer, and the classic changes in coat colour when black cattle become severely copper deficient.