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Copper: The True Value for your Livestock.



From statues to pots and pans, we all come across copper at some point in our daily life. We find it in our homes, our electronics and even running through our walls. Better still, copper remains one of the most theft prone metals up there with Gold and Silver. Thieves know the value,  but flying past the grasp of any copper thief, is the knowledge that Copper, just like zinc and iron, is truly valuable, not just for the black market, but for nutrition 1.


 Despite its benefits, copper is often lacking in the daily nutrition of livestock. Copper is just as essential for its health benefits as it is for its beauty. Copper plays a massive role in metabolism and in the creating of blood and hemoglobin 1. The body finds it so essential that copper can be found in every cell. Animals carry around an average of 2-3mgs of copper at any given time and the body knows when it is missing this vital mineral 2.

In your livestock a deficiency of Copper can cause a variety of issues. These can include poor growth and abnormal skeletal development, abnormal appetite, anaemia, scouring, bone disorders, lameness, swelling of joints, broken bones, cardiovascular disorders, Infertility, retained placenta, impaired immune response, decreased milk production, depigmentation of hair and wool, keratinisation failure in hair, fur, or wool, reduced protein synthesis, gastrointestinal disturbances 2. This list is long, but the value of supplementation is notable.

 

With all its benefits, Copper supplementation is tricky as the line between deficiency and toxicity is thin with ruminants susceptible to both and sheep more susceptible to toxicity 3. Copper is stored in the liver and in healthy doses can be accessed for major benefits to the bloodstream and nutrition. However, when copper exceeds healthy levels that same toxicity starts in the liver and can seriously affect your livestock 2.

 

Knowing all of this it is important to supplement your cattle with trusted supplements and nutrients. Tara Rural supplies and Condamine seeds and Tyres have a variety of supplements, blocks, and nutrition products to safely maintain this essential element in your cattle.

 

One great place to start is to have a soil test done to see if the forage your cattle are feeding on is deficient of copper as plants can also suffer from deficiency. We have a variety of copper supplementation options available at Tara Rural Supplies and Condamine Seeds and Tyre, give us a call to find out which options is right for your livestock. Speak to our agronomists Andy or Jeremy to discuss options and for soil tests.

 

1.AgSolutions. Copper: Mineral of the Month. https://agsolutions.com.au/mineral-of-the-month-copper/.

 

2. Lopez-Alanso, Marta; Miranda, Marta.,PMC. Copper Supplementation: A Challenge in Cattle. www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7602799/ October, 15 2020.

 

3. Baroba, Marta., Villanueva-Sans, Sergio., Ruiz De Arcaute, Marta., Verde, Maria Teresa., Gonzelez, Jose., Navarro, Teresa., Bonito, Alfredo., Arnel, Jose., Des Las Heras, Marcelo., Ortin, Aurora.  National Institute of Health.  Copper poisoning: A Deadly Hazard for Sheep. www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9495211/. September 13, 2022.

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