ACOMPARISON OFTHE EFFECTOFORAL AND INJECTABLE COPPER PREPARATIONS ON SERUM COPPER STATUS IN SHEEP

Clinical observations and studies have confirmed copper deficiency in Khuzestan Province, Iran. This study evaluates the efficacy of copper preparations in the treatment of copper deficiency in sheep. The study was carried out on 180 ewes in a flock with records of enzootic ataxia in their lambs in Ramhormoz. The ewes were randomly divided into 3 groups of sixty: The control group (Group 1); the oral treatment group (Group 2); and, the injection treatment group (Group 3). The ewes in Group 2 received a 4 g capsule of copper oxide orally and the ewes in Group 3 received 50mg of calcium copper edentate by subcutaneous injection. The copper compounds were given before the release of ram into the flock. Blood samples were taken at the start and 2.5 months after the start of the study; and, during lambing time. Blood copper and ceruloplasmin content were measured. In all groups, at the start of experiment, the mean blood copper was near 3? mol/L. This measurement indicates functional copper deficiency or hypocuprosis and the mean blood ceruloplasmin was at the lowest level of the normal range. The blood copper and ceruloplasmin levels in the second and third sampling times in Groups 2 and 3 showed significant elevations (p<0.05). No significant differences were seen in the blood concentrations of copper and ceruloplasmin between the second and third sampling times for Groups 2 and 3. This study showed that a hypocuprosis presents among sheep raised in the area and there was a partial response to a single dose of copper compounds. Therefore, repeated doses of copper compounds are recommended if hypocuprosis is diagnosed in any flock of sheep in the Khuzestan Province area