Farm Animals

Sheep Copper Deficiency and Welfare

Copper deficiency causes enzootic ataxia (swayback) in lambs and other health problems in ewes, requiring targeted supplementation in deficient soil areas.

Key Facts

Copper deficiency is common in sheep on certain soil types including chalk and limestone areas
Swayback in newborn lambs causes neurological weakness and an inability to suckle
Secondary copper deficiency caused by high molybdenum soils requires different management than primary deficiency
Copper supplementation must be carefully dosed as sheep have a narrow therapeutic window
Dosing errors causing copper toxicity cause severe liver damage and welfare harm

Welfare Considerations

Copper deficiency causes preventable suffering in lambs and ewes in affected areas. Accurate soil testing and carefully dosed supplementation prevent both deficiency and toxicity welfare problems.

What You Can Do

Test pasture soils for copper status in areas with deficiency history
Consult your vet before supplementing copper to avoid toxicity risk in your flock
Supplement ewes pre-lambing in deficient areas to prevent swayback in offspring