Copper levels in livers of turkeys with naturally occurring aortic rupture

Lesions of connective tissue in the media of the aorta, including ruptures, were produced with experimental copper deficiency in turkey poults. The copper and molybdenum contents in the livers of 12 turkeys that had succumbed to naturally occuring aortic ruptures were measured to determine if field cases of the disease are etiologically related to copper deficiency. Half of the livers contained less than 10 ppm copper, and the others contained 10--20 ppm copper. Molybdenum levels were less than 1 ppm.