Assessment of copper and zinc status of farm horses and training thoroughbreds in south-east Queensland

Auer, D. E., Ng, J. C. and Seawright, A. A. (1988) Assessment of copper and zinc status of farm horses and training thoroughbreds in south-east Queensland. Australian Veterinary Journal, 65 10: 317-320.


Author Auer, D. E.
Ng, J. C.
Seawright, A. A.
Title Assessment of copper and zinc status of farm horses and training thoroughbreds in south-east Queensland
Journal name Australian Veterinary Journal   Check publisher's open access policy
Publication date 1988-10
Sub-type Article
DOI 10.1111/j.1751-0813.1988.tb14514.x
Volume number 65
Issue number 10
ISSN 0005-0423
1751-0813
Start page 317
End page 320
Total pages 4
Place of publication Oxford, United Kingdom
Publisher Wiley-Blackwell
Language eng
Abstract The copper and zinc concentrations in the blood of stabled thoroughbred horses and in Australian Stock Horses mares at pasture, either late pregnant or lactating were determined by an atomic absorption spectroscopic method. The plasma concentration of the trace elements in these apparently normal horses were generally below the "normal" range. The plasma copper, caeruloplasmin copper, whole blood copper and plasma zinc concentrations in the stabled thoroughbreds were 0.76 +/- 0.19 micrograms/ml (n = 82), 0.56 +/- 0.14 micrograms/ml (n = 83), 0.75 +/- 0.18 micrograms/ml (n = 82) and 0.47 +/- 0.09 micrograms/ml (n = 83) respectively. The plasma copper and zinc concentrations of all the brood mares at pasture (pregnant and lactating) were 0.56 +/- 0.20 micrograms/ml and 0.47 +/- 0.11 micrograms/ml (n = 30). The plasma copper concentration of the pregnant group of mares (0.64 +/- 0.18 micrograms/ml; (n = 14) was greater than that of the lactating mares (0.49 +/- 0.21; (n = 16). Variation in the plasma copper concentration was also identified between stabled and farm horses, between horses of different stables and between horses of different ages. The proportion of plasma copper bound to caeruloplasmin was 73 +/- 11.8%. These low concentrations of copper and zinc in the plasma of apparently normal horses are of clinical significance since recent evidence has indicated that copper deficiency appears to promote the development of skeletal abnormalities in foals. An alternative to the use of a single plasma sample to identify the copper or zinc deficient horse was discussed.
Q-Index Code C1
Q-Index Status Provisional Code
Institutional Status UQ

Document type: Journal Article
Sub-type: Article
Collection: National Research Centre for Environmental Toxicology Publications
 
Versions
Version Filter Type
Citation counts: TR Web of Science Citation Count  Cited 14 times in Thomson Reuters Web of Science Article | Citations
Scopus Citation Count Cited 14 times in Scopus Article | Citations
Google Scholar Search Google Scholar
Access Statistics: 18 Abstract Views  -  Detailed Statistics
Created: Wed, 09 Feb 2011, 10:49:40 EST