CASE NOTES
Two cases of clinical copper deficiency in young Angus cattle in NE NSW
Lisa Martin, Northern Tablelands Local Land Services, Ian Poe, North Coast Local Land Services, Jim Kerr, Hunter Local Land Services, Jane Dwyer, North Coast Local Land Services and Bruce Watt, Central Tablelands Local Land Services
Posted Flock & Herd March 2025
INTRODUCTION
Copper deficient cattle are typically ill-thrifty, with a depigmented coat, including 'spectacles' around the eyes and diarrhoea. Failure of myelin development (swayback in sheep) is rarely reported in cattle but osteoporosis leading to bone fractures is occasionally seen. Copper deficiency is most frequently diagnosed on the North Coast and Northern Tablelands of NSW (Figure 1).
Enzymes containing copper are essential for immune function, haematopoiesis, skeletal development, growth and skin and hair pigmentation. Copper deficiency can be either primary, from a dietary insufficiency or secondary, most commonly when copper is bound in the rumen by molybdenum or sulphur (Parkinson et al. 2019). While copper deficiency is a potential problem across wide areas of north-eastern NSW, clinical cases are rare.
As the liver is the main store of copper, blood testing can be unrevealing in subclinical cases. However, in these two clinical cases, blood copper levels were remarkably low.
Figure 1. Copper deficiency events recorded on LHMS, 2012-2024
CASE 1
HISTORY
These weaners (Figures 2-4) were part of a large herd that grazed across an aggregation of properties in the Tenterfield area. This mob was grazing on a property that had a poor fertiliser history and had been run as an 'organic' / low input property for many years. Only the weaners in the paddocks on this property were affected, while similar breeding and managed weaners in adjoining paddocks of adjacent properties were unaffected.
The owner of these animals, though an experienced local producer, had not previously seen copper deficiency. He was more concerned that there was a plant growing in the paddocks grazed by this mob that was affecting the weaners.
CLINICAL FINDINGS
The weaner cattle (Figures 2-4) showed evidence of variable depigmentation of the coat, most noticeably 'spectacles' around the eyes. The calves also showed evidence of diarrhoea but appeared to be quite well grown despite marked copper and selenium deficiencies.
Figure 2. Copper deficient Angus weaner showing pale 'spectacles' around the eyes
Figure 3. Copper-deficient weaners
Figure 4. Copper-deficient weaners showing pale 'spectacles' around the eyes and grey coats
| Case | Normal | units | 1. | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GSHPx | 40-300 | U/gHb | 8 | 6 | 5 | 8 | 9 | 17 |
| Copper | 7.5-16.5 | µmol/L | 2.2 | 1.7 | 1.3 | 2.2 | 2.2 | 3.9 |
| B12 | 200-500 | µmol/L | 311 | 308 | 377 | 377 | 353 | 353 |
Table 1. Blood test results, case 1 showing marked copper and selenium deficiency
CASE 2
HISTORY
In September 2024, the owner of a mixed mob of cattle grazing swampy country in the Kempsey region reported the death of three cows, with another 10 in poor body condition, some with diarrhoea. The owner had recently treated the cattle with a pour-on anthelmintic.
CLINICAL FINDINGS
Of the approximately 40 head in the mob, there were three cows in poor body condition (BCS 1/5), while most others were BCS 2/5. Pastures were a combination of native and improved tropical pastures which were short (<1000kg DM/ha). Much of the available grazing area was waterlogged due to recent rainfall, it is likely that energy and protein intake was suboptimal.
LABORATORY FINDINGS
| Case | Normal | units | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GSHPx | 40-300 | U/gHb | 66 | 23 | 153 | 62 | 59 | 63 |
| Copper | 7.5-16.5 | umol/L | 1.2 | 1.6 | 7.0 | <1.0 | 1.2 | <1.0 |
| Protein | 60-85 | g/L | 63.8 | 49.1 | 59.0 | 58.7 | 60.2 | 68.2 |
| Pepsin | 0.0-5.0 | U/L | 8.6 | 9.8 | 2.9 | 7.0 | 4.4 | 4.0 |
Table 2. Blood test results, case 2 showing marked copper deficiency
Treatment of copper deficiency
There are a range of options for treating and preventing coper deficiency. Injectable options include products containing copper glycinate, calcium copper edetate and multiple trace elements. Copper oxide rumen boluses provide slow-release copper for 12 months in cattle while copper can be added to the fertiliser on deficient pastures.
DISCUSSION
The owner's description of the Tenterfield cattle (Case 1), with their silvery coats and pale spectacles around the eyes, is reminiscent of cattle routinely seen on the Northern Rivers, both the upper and lower reaches of the Clarence River. However, in those days, this appearance was mostly seen in bleached-out Hereford cattle and among the few early adopters of the Angus breed in the 1980s.
Treatment for copper deficiency (usually injectable s/c) was part of routine management of stock. Applying fertiliser to country was rarely undertaken (probably still the case) and of course rainfall in the 1970s & 1980s was pretty good so soils were fairly leached (LM).
Copper deficiency is expected on the north coast, but usually becomes far less pronounced further inland. Copper deficient soils are also a feature of coastal flood plains in the Hunter and Mid Coast region. Gypsum applied to reclamation land near Singleton, which is not typically a copper deficient area, reportedly created copper deficient Angus cattle with appearance similar to that featured in Figures 2, 3 and 4. At the conclusion of a limited 6-month treatment trial near Taree in Hereford weaner calves using sub-cutaneous copper supplementation the treated animals could easily be distinguished from their untreated companions on coat colour and appearance, but there was no weight gain difference between the treated and untreated animals. Moreover, the blood copper levels of the untreated group had improved over the 6-month trial period, in some cases quite markedly, and were approaching the lower end of the normal range, reinforcing the impression that copper levels might improve with age in cattle.
Blood is a useful tool to assess status in a herd (and obviously less invasive and easier than liver biopsy) as the results from case 2 demonstrates. Blood levels will remain in the normal range until liver copper is quite depleted, so liver biopsies are preferred to detect those more marginal deficiencies. In the experience of one of us, animals with coat colour changes have normally very low blood levels, while those with low normal blood levels are just ill-thrifty without coat colour changes. Bone fractures have been seen in calves with very low copper levels (IP).
REFERENCE
- Parkinson TJ, Vermunt JJ, Malmo J and Laven R (2019) Editors. Diseases of Cattle in Australasia. A comprehensive textbook, pp750-760