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The Concentrations of Molybdenum and Zinc in Liver in Relation to Copper Accumulation in Normal and Copper Poisoned Sheep

Acta Veterinaria Scandinavica volume 17, pages 307–315 (1976)Cite this article

Abstract

The concentrations of copper, molybdenum and zinc were measured in the liver of normal grazing sheep and lambs from Eastern Norway, and in sheep dead of chronic copper poisoning. The following mean values were found: Normal sheep: 173 ± 130 μg Gu/g wet weight, 1.0 ±0.3 μg Mo/g, and 49 ± 10 μg Zn/g; lambs: 129 ± 59 μg Gu/g, 0.9 ± 0.3 μg Mo/g, and 46 ±9 μg Zn/g; sheep dead of copper poisoning: 429 ± 249 μg Gu/g, 0.4 ± 0.1 μg Mo/g, and 43 ± 2d μg Zn/g. Sheep with low liver copper (Gu < 10 μg/g) were also analyzed for molybdenum and zinc, with the following results: 1.0 ± 0.2 μg Mo/g, and 45 ± 8 μg Zn/g wet weight. The differences in liver copper between all the groups, and the differences in molybdenum concentrations between the normal sheep and the lambs and between the normal sheep and the poisoned sheep were significant (P < 0.001). No significant correlations between liver copper/liver molybdenum or liver copper/liver zinc were detected.

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  1. The National Veterinary Institute, P.O.Box 8156, Oslo Dep., Oslo 1, Norway

    Arne Frøslie & Gunnar Norheim

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  1. Arne Frøslie
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  2. Gunnar Norheim
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Frøslie, A., Norheim, G. The Concentrations of Molybdenum and Zinc in Liver in Relation to Copper Accumulation in Normal and Copper Poisoned Sheep. Acta Vet Scand 17, 307–315 (1976). https://doi.org/10.1186/BF03547911

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Acta Veterinaria Scandinavica

ISSN: 1751-0147