%0 Journal Article
%T Copper deficiency and effects of copper supplementation in a herd of red deer (Cervus elaphus)
%A Kjell Handeland
%A Aksel Bernhoft
%A Magne S Aartun
%J Acta Veterinaria Scandinavica
%D 2008
%I BioMed Central
%R 10.1186/1751-0147-50-8
%X Copper (Cu) deficiency causes various disease syndromes in ruminants [1]. In farmed red deer (Cervus elaphus), deficiency has been associated with general unthrift, recognized as poor body condition, growth rates and coats [2-5], as well as enzootic ataxia [6,7] and osteochondrosis [8,9]. Another trace element deficiency observed in farmed deer is selenium (Se) deficiency, causing nutritional myopathy and Se responsive ill-thrift [10,11]. Clinical signs of Cu or Se deficiency have not been recorded in free-ranging red deer although low levels of both elements have been found in Norwegian populations [12]. This study presents clinical, chemical and reproductive data in a Cu-deficient Norwegian red deer herd that was diagnosed in late autumn 1999, and subsequently followed up throughout a three-year period of Cu-supplementation.The herd was established in 1995, and consisted of approximately 15 adult hinds with additional calves and yearlings. The animals were kept in a 20 hectare enclosure consisting of permanent grazing land and deciduous forest. In summer, they also grazed cultivated ryegrass and white clover fields. During winter the herd was fed baled grass silage ad libitum and concentrates produced for dairy cows (105 neutral, Felleskj£¿pet, Norway) containing 20 mg Cu per kg, a ration of 1/2 kg per head per day. The animals also had free access to salt licks (KNZ Vilt, Felleskj£¿pet, Norway), containing 3000 mg Cu/kg. The herd was dewormed in the spring and autumn, using Ivomec pour-on vet.£¿ (Merial SAS, Lyon, France). The normal mating period was October with births in late May to early June.During late autumn 1999, generally thin and unthrifty animals with dull light-coloured hair coats and cases of diarrhoea were observed. Three adult hinds died in an emaciated condition. Two of them were necropsied in the field. The third hind was necropsied in the laboratory, following standard procedures. Samples from the brain, spinal cord, lungs, heart, liver and kidneys
%U http://www.actavetscand.com/content/50/1/8