Observations on Biological Effects of Low Dietary Copper in Nebraska Beef Cattle

Nutritional disorders involving the trace elements may arise as either a deficiency or toxicity of particular elements, but more often as deficiencies or toxicities conditioned by the extent to which other organic or inorganic nutrients are present in the diet. Copper is an essential trace element whose presence in biological systems was first reported over 150 years ago,1 and is utilized in activity of over a dozen enzyme systems. Low serum copper concentrations have been related to disturbances in iron absorption, failures in erythropoiesis, mental deterioration, and death.2