Acta Veterinaria Scandinavica 2008, 50:8 http://www.actavetscand.com/content/50/1/8 yearlings. The animals were kept in a 20 hectare enclosure consisting of permanent grazing land and deciduous for- est. In summer, they also grazed cultivated ryegrass and white clover fields. During winter the herd was fed baled grass silage ad libitum and concentrates produced for dairy cows (105 neutral, Felleskjøpet, Norway) containing 20 mg Cu per kg, a ration of 1/2 kg per head per day. The animals also had free access to salt licks (KNZ Vilt, Felleskjøpet, Norway), containing 3000 mg Cu/kg. The herd was dewormed in the spring and autumn, using Ivomec pour-on vet.® (Merial SAS, Lyon, France). The nor- mal mating period was October with births in late May to early June. During late autumn 1999, generally thin and unthrifty animals with dull light-coloured hair coats and cases of diarrhoea were observed. Three adult hinds died in an emaciated condition. Two of them were necropsied in the field. The third hind was necropsied in the laboratory, fol- lowing standard procedures. Samples from the brain, spi- nal cord, lungs, heart, liver and kidneys were fixed in 10% buffered formalin, and processed routinely for histologi- cal examination. Standard bacteriological examination on calf blood agar plates was performed on samples of lung, liver and intestinal content. Additionally, specific bacteri- ological examination for Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis was carried out on the intestinal content, and on jejunal and ileocaecal lymph nodes [13]. At necropsy, the hind was cachectic and weighed 60 kg. Other pathological findings included a moderate vermin- ous pneumonia caused by Dictyocaulus sp., and fluid con- tents throughout the intestinal canal. No histopathological lesions were found in the organs, and all bacteriological examinations were negative with regard to pathogenic bacteria. Chemical examination of liver tis- sue from the carcass revealed Cu and Se concentrations of 1.8 μg/g and 0.15 μg/g wet weight (ww) respectively. In succession to these findings, three yearling stags were slaughtered, and their mean liver concentrations of Cu and Se were determined to be 2.4 μg/g (2.0–3.2) and 0.24 μg/g (0.21–0.27) respectively. The analyses were princi- pally performed as described previously [14]. In farmed deer, Cu concentrations in the liver <4 μg/g wet weight (ww) and serum concentrations <0.3 μg/ml are consid- ered to represent deficiency [5], whereas a deficiency level of Se has not been defined. In the subsequent study period from January 2000 to Jan- uary 2003, the animals were mechanically immobilized for blood (serum) sampling, weighing and Cu-supple- mentation at various time points (Table 1). Serum sam- ples were obtained from all age classes and at least 75% of the animals in the herd, and the mean herd serum concen- tration of Cu was calculated for each sampling. The mean weights of calves and adult hinds were calculated sepa- rately for each weighing. During the period January 2000 to May 2001, the animals were treated with Cu six times. On five of these occasions they were administrated cap- sules containing 2.5 g Cu oxide, one capsule per 25 kg liveweight (1 g/10 kg). On the sixth occasion, they were treated with calcium copper edetate given subcutaneously at doses of 50 mg for calves, and 100 mg for yearlings and adults. From May 2001 to January 2003, the animals were fed continuously with Cu-enriched concentrates (300 mg Cu/kg) produced for deer (Tilskuddfôr Hjort, Felleskjø- pet, Norway), a ration of 1/2 kg per head and day. The winter-feeding of concentrates produced for dairy cows ceased after starting Cu-enriched concentrates. Pregnancy of hinds >2 years was determined by ultrasound in Janu- ary 2000, 2001, 2002 and 2003. Faecal samples for para- Table 1: Copper status in a red deer herd. Mean and range of serum copper (μg/ml), mean and range of live weights (kg) of adult hinds and calves, and copper administration; by month 2000 to 2003. Serum copper [Range] Weights of adult hinds [Range] Weights of calves [Range] Copper administration x1 Copper capsules; Copacaps®, Rhône Merieux Limitid, Harlow, Essex, UK. x2 Copper injectable; Coprin®, Mallinckrodt Veterinary Ltd, Breakspear Road South, Harefield, Middlesex, UK x3 From May 2001 the herd was fed continuously with concentrates containing 300 mg Cu per kg, 1/2 kg per head per day Page 2 of 4 (page number not for citation purposes) Month January 2000 March 2000 April 2000 May 2000 September 2000 November 2000 January 2001 May 2001 September 2001 January 2002 May 2002 September 2002 January 2003 0.31 (N = 23) [<0.10–0.86] 0.84 (N = 27) [0.30–1.10] 0.92 (N = 23) [0.66–1.20] 0.25 (N = 20) [<0.10–0.62] 1.08 (N = 24) [0.70–1.66] 0.77 (N = 12) [0.61–0.99] 1.11 (N = 21) [0.78–1.60] 1.00 (N = 26) [0.34–1.50] 82 (N = 12) [67–94] 90 (N = 13) [70–102] 38 (N = 7) [27–45] 48 (N = 7) [42–55] 108 (N = 12) [94–126] 53 (N = 8) [51–58] 104 (N = 16) [81–120] 64 (N = 10) [57–74] x1 x2 x1 x1 x1 x1,3 x3 x3 x3 x3 x3 0.91 (N = 19) [0.30–2.00] 92 (N = 14) [72–102] 40 (N = 3) [38–45]