Comparative study of the susceptibility of cattle and buffalo to accumulative copper poisoning

• Grant number: 05/01144-0
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Master
• Start date: September 01, 2005
• End date: February 28, 2007
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Veterinary Medicine
• Principal Investigator: Enrico Lippi Ortolani
• Grantee: Antonio Humberto Hamad Minervino
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia (FMVZ). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil

Abstract

The main aim of this project is to carry out a comparative study of the susceptibility of cattle (crossbred) and buffalo (Murrah) to accumulative copper poisoning, by drenching increasing doses of copper, and studying some clinical and blood variables and the liver Cu concentration. Ten cattle and 10 buffalo steers will be randomly distributed in a control (n=4) and copper supplemented group (n=6). The last group will be initially drenched with 2 mg Cu/kg/BW (as CuSO4.5H2O) daily for a week; every following week, up to the end of the experiment (90th d), this initial dose will be increased of 2 mg Cu/kg/BW. For three times during the experiment (before the 1st drenching, 45th and 90th d) a liver biopsy will be taken to evaluate the degree of copper accumulation in this stocking organ; the body weight and food intake will be followed weekly, as far as blood samples will be taken for determining the globular volume and serum activity of aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and gamma glutamyltransferase (GGT). If any steer might present acute signs of copper poisoning the animal will be immediately treated with the appropriate antidote ammonium tetrathiomolybdate.

Academic Publications

(References retrieved automatically from State of São Paulo Research Institutions)

MINERVINO, Antonio Humberto Hamad. Comparative study of the susceptibility of cattle and buffalo to accumulative copper poisoning. 2007. Master's Dissertation - Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia (FMVZ/SBD) São Paulo.