The Veterinary Record, Vol 98, Issue 5, 86-88
Copyright © 1976 by British Veterinary Association
Copper metabolism in experimental Border disease
RM Barlow,
NF Suttle,
MB Derbyshire,
AC Gardiner,
and
JC Rennie
The proposal that hypocupraemia and hypocuprosis are characteristic manifestations of Border disease and of aetiological significance has been investigated. Mean plasma copper concentrations in 65 affected and 47 unaffected lambs were similar and in a controlled experiment, plasma and tissue copper concentrations tended to be higher in affected lambs than in controls. It is concluded that hypocupraemia and hypocuprosis are not consistent features of Border disease and thus have no aetiological significance.
