Predicting copper status in beef cattle using serum copper concentrations

Copper deficiency is common in pasture-fed cattle in New Zealand⁽¹⁾. In general, the diagnosis of copper deficiency in a herd of cattle is based on a combination of history, examination of animals, examination of the environment, chemical analysis of blood, liver or pasture, and treatment response trials. The laboratory diagnosis of copper deficiency is currently based on liver and either plasma or serum concentrations of copper. Ellison⁽²⁾ reviewed the copper reference range for cattle used by the animal health laboratories in New Zealand and concluded that there is strong agreement in the literature that serum copper concentrations greater than 7.9 𝛍mol/l and liver copper concentrations greater than 95 𝛍mol/kg are adequate for young cattle. Furthermore, it has been reported that if copper concentrations in the liver are greater than 150–200 𝛍mol/kg wet weight, there is a negligible increase in serum copper as liver concentrations increase further⁽²⁾, with individual animal variation accounting for the range of values in serum copper at this point (7.9–18 𝛍mol/l).