Investigation of the effect of copper status and therapy on fertility in beef suckler herds

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Abstract
SUMMARY: A survey on 17 beef suckler herds in the north-east of Scotland showed that there was no relationship between herd serum copper concentration (range 0·16–0·92 μg/ml) measured within 1 month of mating and the conception rate of the herd calculated from the pattern of calving to that mating. Cows treated with 100 mg copper before mating, in trials on four farms with low copper status and involving 221 animals, did not have an improved conception rate compared with control animals on the same farm. Copper per sewould therefore not appear to be a major factor in determining the fertility of beef suckler herds.