Animals and humans vary in their requirements and allergies.
Black dairy cows (black Friesians) and black beef (Angus) SHOW copper
deficiencies by going brown, especially in our wet winters, but whether this
is JUST because copper helps give hair its colour who knows. Light coloured
animals (some Friesians) don�t have as much colour pigment so don�t show
copper deficiency.
This doesn�t necessarily mean that the light coloured animals are not just
as lacking in copper.
Here Jerseys suffer MORE from selenium deficiencies and respond better when
supplemented than Friesians, but both benefit from Se supplementation in New
Zealand.
Having farmed up to 10 metre deep peat (100% vegetation with no minerals)
from 1955 meant that we learned about mineral deficiencies pretty quickly
and soon found that supplementing with salt, magnesium, selenium, sulphur,
copper, zinc, cobalt and iodine were essential and reduced internal parasite
infestations and the requirement for drenching. Animal health, growth and
production improved and they ate less pasture so the minerals cost nothing.
The most interesting thing is that animals with no deficiencies are not
worried by flies or heat and cold as much.
Europeans, Spanish, Africans and Asians have different needs, allergies and
reactions to gluten, milk, soy, iodine, vitamin D, etc.
On 16/4/06 14:31, "Paula and Sumner Roberts"
<meadowsweet@prexar.com> wrote:
>
>> 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
>
>
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Best wishes,
Vaughan Jones
Hamilton
New Zealand
