Evaluation of selected metabolic indices for cattle in copper deficient regions

The experiment comprised soil, herbage, and 3 groups of cattle from Cu deficient regions. Samples of blood, rumen contents, hair, urine and feces, while after slaughter, samples of the liver, kidney, brain, skeletal muscles and long bones were taken from animals under study. Low contents of copper, molybdenum, ceruloplasmin and lipid peroxides, approximately normal contents of zinc, iron, calcium, phosphorus, vitamin E and ascorbic acid, and increased concentration of sulphur were demonstrated. The highest activity of superoxide dismutase was found in the youngest animals.