Mineral deficiencies in cattle can be hard to spot, especially if you are looking for them in the wrong places. Beef Magazine recently published an article by Alan Newport that will be insightful for producers in this industry.

Dr. Jeffery Hall, head of the Utah Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory, received a package with 10 pairs of blood serum and liver biopsies. He called the vet to tell him that there was no need to run both the blood and liver samples. The vet said he needed them to prove the importance of liver sampling to a client.

All 10 liver biopsies showed that there was a severe copper deficiency, yet only one blood serum sample tested positive for this deficit. Dr. Hall says that one can find a copper deficiency in 60% to 70% of all beef cattle tested. He also shared that many vets have trouble convincing their clients to have liver biopsies taken from their cattle for an accurate reading.

Perhaps producers feel that it is very invasive and costly, as well. Dr. Hall also stated that if it is done properly, the procedure will have little to no effect on the cattle. You can read the full article here.

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Andy Chatterjee • Beef & Swine Recruiting Specialist

Andy Chatterjee is a Talent Scout for Continental Search. He handles placements for the feed industry. He is currently undergoing training for this demanding position.

Andy was handling operations for Continental Search for four years before he was promoted to Talent Scout. His understanding of the business from the ground up will make him an ideal addition to the recruiting team. You can reach him at (302) 353-4065 ext. 571 or andy@consearch.com.