Copper Deficiency in Sheep with High Liver Iron Accumulation
2012
Sousa, Isadora Karolina Freitas de(Departamento de Clinica Médica, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia) | Hamad Minervino, Antonio Humberto(Departamento de Clinica Médica, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia) | Sousa, Rejane dos Santos(Departamento de Ciências Animais, Universidade Federal Rural do Semiárido, 59.625-900 Mossoró, RN) | Chaves, Dowglish Ferreira(Departamento de Ciências Animais, Universidade Federal Rural do Semiárido, 59.625-900 Mossoró, RN) | Soares, Herbert Sousa(Departamento de Ciências Animais, Universidade Federal Rural do Semiárido, 59.625-900 Mossoró, RN) | Barros, Isabella de Oliveira(Departamento de Ciências Animais, Universidade Federal Rural do Semiárido, 59.625-900 Mossoró, RN) | Araújo, Carolina Akiko Sato Cabral de(Departamento de Clinica Médica, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia) | Júnior, Raimundo Alves Barrêto(Departamento de Ciências Animais, Universidade Federal Rural do Semiárido, 59.625-900 Mossoró, RN) | Ortolani, Enrico Lippi(Departamento de Clinica Médica, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia)
An outbreak of enzootic ataxia among sheep raised in the northeastern region of Brazil is described. Copper (Cu) deficiency was diagnosed in a herd of 56 sheep, among which five presented characteristic clinical symptoms of enzootic ataxia. The symptoms began 30 days after birth, with a clinical condition that included locomotion difficulty, limb ataxia, tremors, and continual falls. Liver biopsies were performed and blood was collected to determine hepatic and plasmatic Cu, iron (Fe), and zinc (Zn) concentration, respectively. The laboratory results showed that the animals presented low copper concentrations in the plasma and liver, without difference between the clinically healthy animals and those affected by enzootic ataxia. Even after supplementation with adequate Cu levels had been recommended, it was found on a new visit to the farm four months later that one animal still presented a clinical condition and that the hepatic Cu levels of the herd had not risen. Despite the low copper content of the diet, the high hepatic Fe levels found suggest that antagonism due to this element may have been an important factor in triggering copper deficiency in these animals, and thus, additional copper supplementation may be necessary for these animals.
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