Trace element concentrations in perinatal beef calves from west central Nebraska

Trace element analyses were performed on 144 livers from perinatal calves submitted to the Veterinary Science Laboratory, North Platte, NE. All calves originated from herds in west-central Nebraska and ranged in age from 8 months of gestation up to 6-week-old neonates. Calves were divided into 5 categories based on objectives gross examination and ocular fluid evaluation: abomasal ulcers, abomasal tympany, diarrhea, stillborn and excessive nitrate exposure. Excessive zinc concentrations were found in 4 of the 5 categories. Only in the abomasal ulcer category could a correlation be found; this category routinely was found to have deficient to low normal liver copper concentrations and highest liver molybdenum concentrations. Both excesses and deficiencies of selenium and iron occurred in all categories.