> From: "Ann Tiplady & John Sease"
<ann.tiplady@worldnet.att.net>
I've been reading
> Pat Coleby, who says that if Cu is sufficient then animals will resist
> internal parasites much better. I can believe it may be true. If there is
> research on this I'd like to hear of it.
>
Pat Coleby also says that black animals have a higher copper need. I don't
have any research on this, but do an interestig observation from our sheep.
We have a mixed flock of black sheep and white sheep. Last summer we used
the Famacha method (assessing anemia by the color of the eyelid) to
determine whether to worm individual sheep. Most of the black ewes scored
low and were wormed while most of the white ewes scored high and were not
wormed. Other than color the genetics are similar. Also, we send lambs to
slaughter as they reach 100 plus pounds. I noticed that the ratio of black
to white sheep increased through the fall, due to slower growth by black
lambs.
I wish we had just black sheep and red catle, then maybe one mineral mix of
moderate copper content would work for all.
Sumner Roberts
Meadowsweet Farm
Swanville, Maine
