Effect of elevated iron intake on the copper status of grazing cattle

Abstract

Eight yearling cattle were each dosed daily for 7 months with 30 mg Fe/kg live weight as ferric hydroxide and grazed together with eight similar, control cattle on pasture of adequate copper but low molybdenum status.Liver and blood copper, caeruloplasmin and amine oxidase levels WCle all very markedly depressed and liver iron moderately increased by the iron treatment.There was no effect of the treatment on haemoglobin, packed cell volume. liver zinc, live-weight gain, or general health, despite a reduction in liver copper to 7 ppm and in blood copper to 0.33 mg/l on average in thc treated animals. © 1974 Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.