Comparative study of serum copper concentration in natural copper deficient and healthy Awassi sheep in Al-Najaf city\Iraq

Abstract

This study was conducted on Awassi sheep in Al-Najaf city  during October /2014 till January /2015 to detect the main clinical features and copper concentration associated with natural copper deficiency of sheep .

 About one hundred clinically copper deficient sheep (50 male,50 female) character by important clinical copper deficient features        as affected sheep group and control sheep  group which apparent healthy was included one hundred sheep (50 male,50 female) both group sheep was selected randomly and blood samples were  collected  from each one to estimate serum copper concentration  .

Clinical examination of deficient sheep was showed wool abnormalities 60% as higher percentage ,ill-thriftness and retarding of growth 80%, Ataxia(incoordination gait-posterior paralysis) 54% so the predominant signs is paleness of mucous membrane 100% .

So, heart and respiratory rates were increase in deficient sheep (92.11±0.35,36.8±0.8) than in control group (75.8±0.54,29.6±0.19) respectively ,but temperature rate not changes in  both animals groups.

 Serum copper concentration was (5.58±0.13)µmol/L in deficient sheep when compared with control sheep (15.61±0.56)µmol/L and the serum copper was higher significantly in male than  in female in both groups as(6.482±0.21,5.131±0.12) µmol/L in deficient sheep ,(18.21,±0.78,13.014±0.62) ) µmol/L in control group respectively,  and copper concentration in adult examined sheep  (1-4) years as (5.66±0.68) lower than yearling lamb(9.8±1.03 in deficient group.

This study was conducted to estimate serum copper concentration in clinically copper deficient sheep and the effect of gender and sex on their concentration in Awassi sheep.