Topic:Copper
Copper is an essential trace mineral that plays a significant role in various physiological processes in horses. It is involved in the formation of connective tissue, the maintenance of the nervous and immune systems, and the synthesis of hemoglobin. Copper is also a component of several enzymes, including those responsible for antioxidant defense and energy production. Horses obtain copper through their diet, and its levels can be influenced by factors such as soil composition and feed quality. Deficiencies or imbalances in copper can lead to health issues, such as developmental orthopedic disease in young horses and anemia. This page compiles peer-reviewed research studies and scholarly articles that explore the metabolism, dietary requirements, and health implications of copper in equine nutrition and management.
Reference intervals for serum macro- and microminerals in clinically healthy horses in Northwestern Spain: Influence of age, sex, breed and diet. Serum mineral concentrations are key indicators of nutritional status, metabolic function and health in horses; however, contemporary reference intervals (RI) derived from large, well-characterised populations remain scarce. Objective: To establish serum RI for macro- and microminerals in clinically healthy horses in Northwestern Spain and to evaluate the influence of sex, age, breed and diet on mineral status. Methods: Blood samples were collected from clinically healthy horses (n = 211), and serum concentrations of essential macrominerals (calcium [Ca]; phosphorous [P]; magnesium [Mg]; sodiu...
Monitoring trace minerals and heavy metals in liver of free-living large herbivores in the Netherlands. Trace minerals are essential for animal health but can also, together with heavy metals, have a negative impact, making their monitoring crucial to assess animal health. These elements were examined through a long-term post-mortem monitoring system based on routine liver sampling for Heck cattle, Konik horses and red deer in place at the Oostvaardersplassen nature reserve in the Netherlands, using data from this system to determine reference intervals and investigate trends in liver trace element concentrations. Throughout the monitoring programme, inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry ...
Comparison of the Level of Mineral Components in the Hoof Wall of Pure-Breed Arabian Horses and Polish Sport Horses. Research on the characteristics of the mineral profile of hooves can help prevent overgrowth or micro-cracks. Knowledge about the interaction of these elements shows how imbalances can lead to hoof pathology or suboptimal hoof quality. Sulphur plays a key role in keratin synthesis, contributing to hoof elasticity and strength. Iron is involved in oxygen transport to the hoof matrix cells, supporting proper metabolism and tissue regeneration. Zinc promotes keratinocyte differentiation and accelerates healing of micro-injuries within the horn structure. Copper is essential for the formation of d...
Does the Relationship Between Microelements (Copper, Zinc and Selenium) and Proinflammatory Proteins (IL-6, IL-8 and Tissue Factor) Have Diagnostic Value in Equine Medicine? Some correlations between serum Cu, Zn and Se and cytokines have been reported in humans. Especially, the Cu:Zn ratio corresponded with inflammation. To date, relationships between microelements and proinflammatory proteins are poorly understood in horses. The aim of the study was to evaluate whether Cu, Zn and Se may influence turnover of IL-6, IL-8 and tissue factor (TF) in breeding and working horses. Blood samples obtained from 66 horses were analysed. There were 37 pregnant broodmares of different breeds, 13 barren broodmares and 16 race Thoroughbred horses. Serum Cu, Zn and Se concentrat...
Temperatures of the Mouthpiece of the Bit of Carriage Horses over a Period of 11 Months. Besides oral temperature, meteorological parameters are expected to be relevant for mouthpiece temperature, potentially influenced by the material, surface area and weight of the bit. This study measured the temperature of the mouthpieces at the corner of the mouth while they were in use on 58 carriage horses during the four 2024 seasons. Stainless steel, copper, and copper-steel bits were tested in three shapes: Butterfly Liverpool, Liverpool, and Loose Ring Snaffle with four rings. Additionally, surface temperatures of inner thighs, the ground, and buildings were measured using infrared ther...
Diagnostic performance of specific oxidative stress biomarkers, acute phase proteins, and certain trace elements in different severities of equine colic. Sixty-one horses were included in this study and classified into three groups based on the severity of colic, assessed by heart rate, oral mucous membrane color, and abdominal distension. The groups consisted of a strangulating colic (SC) group (n=21), a non-strangulating colic (NC) group (n=20), and a control group (n=20) of randomly selected healthy horses without colic. Serum concentrations of tumor necrosis factor α (TNFα), haptoglobin (Hp), nitric oxide (NO), malondialdehyde (MDA), zinc, iron, and copper were measured in all horses. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis was c...
In vitro evaluation of anthelmintic activity of biocompatibile carbon quantum dot nanocomposite against egg and larval stages of equine strongyles. Strongyle nematodes pose a major challenge in veterinary parasitology, causing significant economic losses in livestock due to resistance to conventional treatments. Current anthelmintics, like Ivermectin, often encounter resistance issues. This study aims to address these gaps by synthesizing Carbon Quantum Dots (CQDs) and Copper-Doped CQDs (Cu@CQDs) using glucose extract, and evaluating their nematicidal properties against strongyles in vitro. We assessed the nematicidal effects of CQDs and Cu@CQDs through larval feeding inhibition of first-stage larvae (L1), egg hatch inhibition (EHI), and ...
Hair and Blood Trace Elements (Cadmium, Zinc, Chrome, Lead, Iron and Copper) Biomonitoring in the Athletic Horse: The Potential Role of Haematological Parameters as Biomarkers. The aim of the present study was the evaluation of the bioaccumulation of cadmium (Cd), Zinc (Zn), Chrome (Cr), Lead (Pb), Iron (Fe) and Copper (Cu), in the blood, serum, tail and mane of horses from the industrialized area of Milazzo (Messina, Sicily), to understand the relationships between haematological parameters: Red Blood Cells (RBCs), White Blood Cells (WBCs), Haemoglobin (Hb), Haematocrit (Hct), Mean Corpuscular Volume (MCV), Mean Corpuscular Haemoglobin (MCH), Mean Corpuscular Haemoglobin Concentration (MCHC), Platelets (PLTs) and the concentrations of trace elements. Blood and hair ...
Measurement of Trace Elements (Zinc, Copper, Magnesium, and Iron) in the Saliva of Horses: Validation Data and Changes in Equine Gastric Ulcer Syndrome (EGUS). The objective of this study was to evaluate the possible use of spectrophotometric assays for the measurement of trace elements, including Zinc (Zn), Copper (Cu), Magnesium (Mg), and iron (Fe) in the saliva of horses and study their possible changes in equine gastric ulcer syndrome (EGUS). EGUS is a highly prevalent disease, with a current high incidence due to the increase in intensive management conditions. There are two EGUS diseases: equine squamous gastric disease (ESGD) and equine glandular gastric disease (EGGD), which can appear individually or together. For this purpose, automated spe...
Serum concentrations of selenium, copper, and zinc in neonatal foals: Influence of failure of passive transfer and age-related changes. An adequate supply of trace elements is very important for equine neonates, as deficiencies can lead to health problems and even death. Unassigned: This study investigated serum concentrations of selenium (Se), copper (Cu), and zinc (Zn) in neonatal foals up to the 8th day of life. The influences of disease, age, and failure of passive transfer (FPT) on these concentrations were analyzed. Unassigned: Serum concentrations of Se, Cu, and Zn were determined from blood samples of 93 foals by means of inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. The foals were divided into 2 groups based on health...
Encapsulation of copper phenanthroline within horse spleen apoferritin: characterisation, cytotoxic activity and ability to retain temozolomide. Protein capsules are promising drug delivery vehicles for cancer research therapies. Apoferritin (AFt) is a self-assembling 12 nm diameter hollow nanocage with many desirable features for drug delivery, however, control of drug retention inside the protein cage remains challenging. Here we report the encapsulation of copper(ii)-1,10-phenanthroline (Cu(phen)) within the horse spleen AFt (HSAFt) nanocage, by diffusion of the metal through the pores between the protein subunits. Transmission electron microscopy revealed the formation of organised copper adducts inside HSAFt, without affecting pro...
Blood and hoof biodistibution of some trace element (Lithium, Copper, Zinc, Strontium and, Lead) in horse from two different areas of Sicily. Biological monitoring of trace element horses is a well-known tool for investigating potential bioaccumulation in urbanized and industrialized geographical areas. Some biomaterials such as hoof are considered as an important indicator of environmental pollution. Hooves can store trace elements for a long time compared to blood and this represents a scientific key to long-term monitoring of exposure to environmental pollutants. In the present study, samples of equine hoof and blood were taken from an experimental group of horses living in an industrialized area of Sicily (Italy) and from a cont...
Chemical composition of horse hooves with functional qualities for competing barefoot. Barefoot racing is a common practice within the harness racing industry, but not all horses have hooves of sufficient quality to race sustainably without shoes. There is currently no objective approach available to assess whether a horse's hooves are suitable for barefoot racing, raising animal welfare issues if trainers misjudge the functional qualities of hooves. This study compared chemical composition of the hoof wall and fatty acid (FA) composition of the digital cushion in a group of horses that had raced barefoot often (RB) and a group of horses that could not race barefoot and therefor...
Association of the severity of colic in horses with oxidative stress biomarkers, acute-phase proteins, and certain trace elements. Sixty-one horses were enrolled in this study and divided into 3 different groups according to their severity of colic (heart rate, oral mucous membrane color, and abdominal distention): a strangulating colic (SC) group (n=21), non-strangulating colic (NC) group (n=20), and control group (n=20) consisting of randomly selected normal horses without signs of colic. The serum concentrations of haptoglobin, tumor necrosis factor-α (TNFα), nitric oxide (NO), malondialdehyde (MDA), zinc, iron, and copper were evaluated in all horses. The average concentration of TNFα in the SC group was higher tha...
Reference intervals for trace mineral and heavy metal concentrations in horse livers in the Netherlands. We determined reference intervals (RIs) for concentrations of trace minerals and toxic elements based on liver samples from 122 apparently healthy horses at 2 slaughter facilities in the Netherlands. Samples were collected during the spring and fall of 2021, and the sex and age of the horses were registered upon sampling. Concentrations of arsenic, cadmium, chromium, cobalt, copper, iron, lead, manganese, molybdenum, nickel, selenium, vanadium, and zinc were measured in liver samples using inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) after nitric acid digestion. RIs were calculated us...
Relationship Between Selenium, Copper, Zinc and Their Biomarkers in Blood and Skeletal Muscle Tissue in Adult Horses From Southern Chile. Microminerals are necessary for all bodily functions. In animal species, selenium (Se), copper (Cu) and zinc (Zn) all form part of antioxidant enzymes. Micromineral deficiencies, particularly Se, are well recognized in large animal species in Chile. Glutathion peroxidase (GPx) is a widely used biomarker for Se nutritional status and to diagnose Se deficiency in horses. Superoxide dismutase (SOD) is a Cu and Zn-dependant antioxidant enzyme, although it is not commonly used as a proxy for the nutritional status of these minerals. Ceruloplasmin (CP) is used as a biomarker of Cu nutritional status...
Concentration of mineral and heavy metals in raw mare (horse) milk consumed in Yazd, Iran: A risk assessment study. In recent years, the mare's milk has been introduced as a rich source of nutrients with hypoallergic characteristics which is widely used for Iranian infants. The present study aimed to investigate the heavy metal concentration of mare's milk and its consumption risk assessment. About 88 mare's milk was collected from Yazd, the centre of Iran, during the summer of 2020. The raw mare's milk was digested and analysed for mineral and heavy metal content (As, Ca, Cd, Co, Cu, Fe, Mg, Mn, Ni, P, Pb and Zn) by ICP-OES. To estimate the health hazard for consumers the Estimated Daily Intake (EDI), Haza...
Staphylococcus aureus in Horses in Nigeria: Occurrence, Antimicrobial, Methicillin and Heavy Metal Resistance and Virulence Potentials. Staphylococcus aureus was isolated from a total of 360 nasal and groin skin swabs from 180 systematic randomly-selected horses slaughtered for meat at Obollo-Afor, Enugu State, Southeast Nigeria and antimicrobial, methicillin and heavy metal resistance profile and virulence potentials of the isolates established. Baird-Parker agar with egg yolk tellurite was used for S. aureus isolation. S. aureus isolates were confirmed biochemically and serologically using a specific S. aureus Staphytect Plus™ latex agglutination test kit. The antimicrobial resistance profile, methicillin, vancomycin and i...
Relation of seminal plasma trace mineral in the Arabian stallion’s semen with the semen characteristics and subsequent fertility. Seminal plasma contains several microelements like Zn, Fe, Se, and Cu that affect sperm motility and male fertility. Biochemical evaluation of seminal plasma trace elements is important for assessing fertility and diagnosing male infertility. Unassigned: The present study was designed to evaluate the effect of seminal fluid trace elements on sperm parameters and fertility in Arabian horses. Unassigned: Ninety-four ejaculates from 25 Arabian stallions (4-27 years old) were used to investigate the effect of seminal fluid trace elements on semen parameters and fertility. Data divided according to...
Seasonal Changes in Trace-Element Content in the Coat of Hucul Horses. The purpose of the study was to evaluate seasonal changes in selected trace elements such as Fe, Cu, Mn, Zn, and Al in the coat of healthy Hucul horses kept in south-eastern Poland in two different facilities and fed with locally sourced feed. The coat for the study was collected from 24 individuals in autumn, winter, and spring. The concentration of elements in the feed was also determined. The date of collection had a significant effect on the concentration of the micronutrients analysed in the coat of Hucul horses. The highest concentration of Zn was found in the coat taken in summer. The c...
Evaluation of hair analysis for determination of trace mineral status and exposure to toxic heavy metals in horses in the Netherlands. Analysis of hair to gain insight into the trace mineral status and exposure to toxic heavy metals of horses is attractive because hair is an easily accessible sample material. To investigate the potential value of hair analysis in horses for determination of trace mineral and heavy metal concentrations, we analyzed mane hair and liver samples from 62 horses presented for slaughter at a facility in the Netherlands that receives horses from all regions of the country. Hair samples were cleaned in warm water. After acid digestion of hair and liver specimens, we quantified, with inductively couple...
Influences of the Seasons of the Year and Physiographic Regions on the Levels of Calcium, Copper and Zinc in the Hoof Capsule of Foals Pre- and Postweaning Raised in Native Pasture. This study evaluated the levels of calcium (Ca), copper (Cu) and zinc (Zn) in the hoof of Criollo foals, pre- and postweaning, correlating them with the concentrations of these inorganic chemical compounds in soil and pasture in the different seasons of the year. We used 41 preweaning foals and 28 postweaning foals. Seventeen forage samples were collected in four seasons, later 10 soil samples per property in five distinct physiographic regions (Santa Maria, Dilermando de Aguiar, Jaguarão, Arroio Grande and Pelotas). There was variability in Ca, Cu and Zn concentrations in the hoof foal betwe...
Copper Toxicity in Horses: Does it Exist? Copper toxicity is thought to be a rare condition in horses. However, the number of cases diagnosed in Brazil is growing. This article aims to describe cases of copper toxicity involving horses from different geographic locations and discuss findings of physical examinations, differential diagnoses and potential causes. Five cases referred from 4 different properties where at least 15 other horses were affected were described. Hemolytic anemia and hemoglobinuria, presence of Heinz bodies and elevated aspartate aminotransferase and gamaglutamil transferase levels were detected in all cases. The...
Complexed trace mineral supplementation alters antioxidant activities and expression in response to trailer stress in yearling horses in training. To test the hypothesis that complexed trace mineral supplementation would increase antioxidant capacity and decrease muscle oxidative stress and damage in young horses entering an exercise training program, Quarter Horses (mean [Formula: see text] SD; 9.7 ± 0.7 mo) balanced by age, sex, and BW were assigned to receive complexed (CTM; n = 8) or inorganic (INORG; n = 8) trace minerals at -12 week relative to this study. Blood and muscle samples were collected before (week 0) and after 12 week of light exercise training surrounding a 1.5-h trailer stressor. Muscle glutathione peroxid...
Effect of Dietary Flaxseed Oil Supplementation on the Redox Status, Haematological and Biochemical Parameters of Horses’ Blood. This study compared the effect of two dietary vegetable oils on plasma biochemical indices, haematological parameters, and redox status of horses. Forty riding horses (20 mares and 20 stallions) of the Malopolski breed were divided equally into two groups that were similar in terms of age, sex, and body weight (on average 530 ± 30 kg). The horses received soybean oil (SO) or flaxseed oil (FO) in the amount of 25 mL per 100 kg BW/day. After 60 days, blood was collected for biochemical and haematological analyses. The results show that horses receiving FO as compared to the SO group had signifi...
Bioaccumulation of Mineral Elements in Different Biological Substrates of Athletic Horse from Messina, Italy. The objective of this study was to evaluate the levels and the potential bioaccumulation of vanadium (V), chromium (Cr), cobalt (Co), copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb), and bismuth (Bi) in horses from the industrial risk area of Sicily (Italy). Different biological substrates (whole blood, serum; tail and mane) and samples of hay, concentrate and water provided to the horses were processed by means of Thermo Scientific iCAP-Q ICP-MS spectrometer for mineral concentration. One-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) was applied to show the differences in various trace elements in the bio...
Using Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry to Assess Essential and Performance-Enhancing Metals in the Urine of Racehorses. Recently, an increased tendency to use various metals has been observed in the sports competition fields. Many of these metals and their organic complexes reportedly have good pharmacologic, therapeutic and performance-enhancement uses; they are banned or recommended as controlled medications in competitive sports. The objective of this research was to determine the concentration of pharmacologically relevant metals in urine samples collected from racehorses at various sport events, develop a method and assess the concentrations of above metals using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometr...
Evaluation of dietary trace mineral supplementation in young horses challenged with intra-articular lipopolysaccharide. Sixteen weanling Quarter Horses (255 ± 22 kg) were utilized in a 56-d trial to evaluate the effects of trace mineral (TM) source on intra-articular inflammation following a single acute inflammatory insult. Horses were stratified by age, sex, and BW and then randomly assigned to dietary treatment: concentrate formulated with Zn, Mn, Cu, and Co as inorganic sources (CON; n = 8) or complexed TMs (CTM; n = 8). Added TM were formulated at iso-levels across treatments and intakes met or exceeded NRC requirements. Horses were offered 1.75% BW (as-fed) of treatment concentrate and 0.75% BW (as-fed) ...
Interrelationships Between Age and Trace Element Concentration in Horse Mane Hair and Whole Blood. The use of hair as a sample matrix to determine the mineral status of an animal has received a lot of interest. The objective of this study was to determine if the trace element content in horse mane hair changed with age when evaluated in a group of horses representing a large age range. As a second objective, whole blood trace element content was evaluated, and its relationship to mane hair trace element content, as well as age, were tested. Therefore, mane hair and whole blood samples were obtained from 59 horses, ranging from 2 months to 26 years in age, housed on the same farm. Mane hai...
Evaluation of semen characteristics, oxidative stress, and biochemical indices in Arabian horses of different ages during the hot summer season. Egypt is anticipated to be potentially influenced by the global climate warming. Therefore, the current study aimed to evaluate the influence of age on the fertility potential of Arabian stallions during summer breeding months. Arabian horses grouped according to their age into three groups, each involved six stallions: young (5-6 years), middle (11-12 years) and old (15-20 years) age groups, were weekly sampled during the months of July-August. Ejaculates were collected using artificial vagina, Missouri model, and examined for pH, volume, concentration, motility, livability and morphological ...