Copper deficiency causes significant economic losses where it occurs.
Regardless of the reason for the copper deficiency, the problems exhibited by the animals are the same. The problems seen will vary from herd to herd and are not easily predictable. However, when copper deficiency does occur, it invariably causes losses in production, health, and profits. The most commonly observed results of copper deficiency in cattle are diarrhea and poor weight gains, particularly in calves. The fact that copper deficiency lowers the immune response and can make the cattle more susceptible to disease and less responsive to vaccines is of particular importance to the health of the herd.