Comparación de la ceruloplasmina y cobre séricos con cobre hepático, como indicadores de cobre corporal en vacas de desecho voluntario* Comparison of serum ceruloplasmin and copper with liver copper as indicators of body copper status in discarded cows

Copper (Cu) deficiency diagnosis in ruminants is based on measurements of serum and hepatic levels. Another predictor of hypocuprosis is the serum ceruloplasmin (Cp) level. In order to try to find a reliable and practical alternative for the identification of Cu deficiencies in ruminants, Cu, Cp and Cu:Cp ratio were determined in 20 dairy cows prior to slaughter. Hepatic samples were taken from the same animals in order to obtain an accurate measurement of Cu status. Cu and Cp levels were within the reference range. Means analyses of variance and correlations between Cu and Cp were not significant (P > 0.05). Neither hypocupremia in serum analyses, nor hypocuprosis, in hepatic samples, were observed. Given the results, Cp:Cu ratio was not found to be a good predictor of Cu status in cows.