Enzootic ataxia and
osteochondrosis occur when liver
copper concentrations are below 60 micromol/kg fresh tissue, and serum
copper concentrations are below 3-4 micromol/l. Growth responses to
copper supplementation have been equivocal when blood
copper concentrations were 3-4 micromol/l, but were significant when mean blood
copper concentrations were 0.9-4.0 micromol/l. No antler growth or bodyweight response to
copper supplementation was observed when blood
ferroxidase levels averaged 10-23 IU/l (equivalent to serum
copper concentrations of 6-13 micromol/l) and liver
copper concentrations averaged 98 mumol/kg fresh tissue. These data suggest that 'deficient', 'marginal' and 'adequate' ranges for serum
copper concentrations should be 5, 5-8, and 8 micromol/l, respectively, and those for liver
copper concentrations should be 60, 60-100, and 100 micromol/kg, respectively.
SELENIUM:
White muscle disease has been reported in young deer with blood and liver
selenium concentrations of 84-140 nmol/l and 240-500 nmol/kg fresh tissue, respectively. No growth-rate response to
selenium supplementation occurred in rising 1-year-old deer when blood
selenium concentrations were less than 130 nmol/l, the range in which a growth-rate response would be expected in sheep.
VITAMIN B12:
Vitamin B12 concentrations in deer are frequently below 185 pmol/l without clinical or subclinical effects. No growth response was observed in young deer with
vitamin B12 concentrations as low as 75-83 pmol/l. A growth response to
cobalt/
vitamin B12 supplementation occurs in lambs with serum
vitamin B12 concentrations 336 pmol/l.
CONCLUSIONS: Data that can be used to establish reference ranges for assessing
trace element status in deer are limited. More robust reference values for farmed red deer need to be established through further studies relating biochemical data to health and performance.