The concentration of minerals in the blood of genetically diverse groups of sheep

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Abstract
SUMMARY Changes in the concentration of copper in the blood of 241 adult ewes bled 4 times over a 12-month period (and 332 ewes over a shorter period) were analysed to examine sources of variation in the changes. Breed, age and swayback history were the most significant of the factors associated with both the amount and rate of decline in copper level from summer through autumn to winter. The number of lambs born, age of ewe, and swayback history were the most significant factors associated with the increase in levels from winter to the following summer. There was a tendency for the classes of sheep with the relatively higher concentrations of copper in their blood to show less seasonal fluctuation in those levels than classes of sheep with relatively lower concentrations of copper.