Copper in a needle

THE injectable copper source, Coprin, has been put back on the market by Schering Plough Animal Health, in response to demand from vets and farmers.

Teagasc research has shown that a high proportion of cattle suffer from a lack of copper - 20% of beef cattle and cull cows had inadequate levels for optimal health.

According to Maureen Prendergast, veterinary consultant with Schering Plough, copper deficiencies can cause poor animal performance, poor bone structure and reduced fertility, and can be particularly serious in young, growing animals.

She said large tracts of Irish grazing land are low in copper, further compounded by elaborate linkages between copper and other minerals.

“For example, where soils are high in molybdenum, a particular problem in [some] parts, copper is locked up and serious deficiency problems occur in animals. Also, the recent liming of land increases the risk of copper deficiency,” said Ms Prendergast.