The impact of high zinc intake on the copper status of dairy cows in New Zealand

AIM: To determine the effect of a high Zn intake on the concentration of Cu in the liver of dairy cows.

METHODS: Sixty non-pregnant, non-lactating, mixed-age Friesian dairy cows were randomised into four groups: unsupplemented control; thrice weekly oral treatment with 350 mg Cu (equivalent to 150 mg Cu/day) as CuSO₄.5H₂O; a ZnO bolus releasing 6.628 g Zn/day given on Days 0 and 28; and oral treatment with Cu and ZnO boluses. The cows were fed baled silage for the duration of the study (56 days). On Days –12, 14, 28, 42 and 56 liver biopsies were collected for determination of concentrations of Cu, and blood samples for measurement of Cu and Zn in serum.

RESULTS: Mean concentrations of Cu in the liver of unsupplemented control cows decreased from an initial 717 (SE 108.5) to 396 (SE 88.0) μmol/kg fresh tissue on Day 28, and then increased to 542 (SE 105.3) μmol/kg fresh tissue on Day 42, before decreasing to 434 (SE 81.6) μmol/kg fresh tissue on Day 56. Administration of ZnO resulted in no change in the concentration of Cu in liver compared with controls. Supplementing with 150 mg Cu/day significantly increased the concentration of Cu in liver, compared with controls, to 1,074 (SE 105.2) μmol/ kg fresh tissue on Day 56. Treatment with ZnO significantly reduced concentrations of Cu in liver on Day 56, compared with Cu-supplemented cows, to 786 (SE 107.7) μmol/kg fresh tissue. The treatments had no effect on concentrations of Cu in serum.

In cows given the ZnO, mean concentrations of Zn in serum increased from 17 (SE 0.6) on Day 0 to 30 (SE 1.7) μmol/L on Day 14, then decreased to 20 (SE 1.3) μmol/L on Day 28, increased to 40 (SE 2.9) μmol/L on Day 42, then decreased to 24 (1.16) μmol/L on Day 56. In cows given ZnO plus Cu, concentrations of Zn in serum were significantly greater than in cows only given ZnO on Day 41 (46 (SE 2.71) vs 35 (SE 3.23) μmol/L, respectively). Mean concentrations of Cu, Mo and Zn in the baled silage were 4.4, 0.5 and 21 mg/kg dry matter (DM), respectively.

CONCLUSIONS: High Zn intakes used in the prevention of facial eczema in dairy cows had little effect on concentrations of Cu in liver when the Cu intake was low, but decreased the efficacy of a Cu supplement by about 50%.

CLINICAL RELEVANCE: When using Zn as a prophylactic treatment for facial eczema the level of Cu supplementation should be adjusted, which may mean that in some situations it is recommended not to supplement cows with Cu.