Trace Minerals for California Beef Cattle
University of California, Cooperative Extension
Butte County Mineral Data
Selenium
From eleven herds (91 head total) randomly selected within Butte county, the average overall whole blood Se level was 0.32 ppm. From 53 head on 4 ranches involved in field trials average whole blood Se was 0.024 ppm. The highest herd average was 0.05. Three herds averaged below 0.02 ppm. Butte county is selenium deficient.
Copper
Five herds participating in field trials had herd average serum copper levels of 0.65, 0.81, 0.53, 0.69, and 0.74 ppm. Four of the five herds would be classified as marginal for copper. Within each herd, some individual cattle had levels below 0.4 ppm. Cattle in Butte county would be classified as marginal for copper. Symptoms may vary depending on molybdenum status.
Zinc
Similarly to copper, zinc status is marginal with five herds averaging 0.7 ppm serum zinc. Zinc status is slightly improved over copper as no samples were below 0.5 ppm serum zinc.
Phosphorus
Phosphorus is also deficient in Butte county. Of the five herds in the field trials, herd average serum phosphorus levels were 40, 49, 48, 72, 47. Only the herd at 72 ppm serum P would be considered adequate. Few individual cattle were in the adequate range.
|
Blood Samples* |
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|
WEIGHTED AVERAGES |
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|
Se |
Cu |
Zn |
P |
|
|
0.032 |
0.69 |
0.71 |
51 |
All Values |
|
0.037 |
no data |
no data |
no data |
Class 1 data only (random samples) |
|
0.024 |
0.69 |
0.71 |
51 |
Class 2 data only (field trials, selected herds) |
|
na |
na |
na |
na |
Class 3 data only (sick cattle) |
|
Number of Individuals (used in weighted averages) |
||||
|
Se |
Cu |
Zn |
P |
|
|
145 |
54 |
54 |
54 |
All Values |
|
91 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
Class 1 data only (random samples) |
|
54 |
54 |
54 |
54 |
Class 2 data only (field trials, selected herds) |
|
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
Class 3 data only (sick cattle) |
|
Number of Samples |
||||
|
Se |
Cu |
Zn |
P |
|
|
54 |
54 |
54 |
54 |
No. of Individuals |
|
11 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
No. of Herds |
|
91 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
No. of Individuals in herds |
|
145 |
54 |
54 |
54 |
Total number of individuals |
|
Lowest and Highest Values (Individuals only) |
||||
|
Se |
Cu |
Zn |
P |
|
|
0.0050 |
0.39 |
0.46 |
25 |
Lowest individual value |
|
0.090 |
1.21 |
0.98 |
107 |
Highest individual value |
|
* Se whole blood, Zn & P serum, Cu whole blood or serum |
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