Epi. 250 - Diagnostic Findings of Copper, Selenium and Manganese Deficiency in Dairy and Beef Cattle Submitted to the California Animal Health and Food Safety Laboratory

AABP Executive Director Dr. Fred Gingrich is joined by Dr. David Villar, a co-author on the paper “Diagnostic findings of copper, selenium and manganese deficiency in dairy and beef cattle submitted to the California Animal Health and Food Safety Laboratory” published online first in the Bovine Practitioner. 

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Villar provides information on the importance of micromineral nutrition of beef and dairy cattle health. This study looked at submissions to the California Animal Health and Food Safety Laboratory (CAHFS) to evaluate the disease processes and pathogens identified along with micromineral analysis. The primary objective of this study was to determine if the correlation patterns of hepatic Cu, Se, and Mn for disease in the CAHFS diagnostic database at different ages would be similar for beef and dairy cattle. 

Villar discusses the results from the study which identified that 33% of beef cattle were deficient in CU, 46% were deficient in Se, and 41% were deficient in both. In dairy cattle, very few animals had deficiencies, indicating appropriate micromineral ration balancing and intakes. The number one disease seen in beef was bovine respiratory disease (BRD) with a median age of 8 months. Of these, 68% were deficient in Cu, Se or both, and most had a history of transportation and commingling. Although BRD was also frequently diagnosed in dairy animals, the median age was 90 days. Salmonella Group D was the next most frequent disease in deficient dairy animals.

This paper identifies the importance of micromineral deficiencies and correlations with diseases. There are significant opportunities for veterinarians, especially involved with beef cattle, to address micromineral nutrition programs and monitoring. 

Diagnostic findings of copper, selenium and manganese deficiency in dairy and beef cattle submitted to the California Animal Health and Food Safety Laboratory. (2025). The Bovine Practitioner, 59(2), 61-70. https://doi.org/10.21423/bpj20259267