It is recommended that sheep NOT be fed poultry litter or other waste products which contain high levels of copper. In addition, there have been instances where high levels of Cu have been traced to the fertilization of pasture with pig manure. If and when copper toxicity is suspected, the diagnosis needs to be confirmed by a veterinarian or diagnostic laboratory. Sources of copper need to be promptly identified. It is important to know the Cu and Mo status of all feeds and forages being fed.
Grains are lower in copper than forages.
Errors in feed mixing should also be considered as a possible source of excess copper. Water should not be overlooked as a source. Although prevention is much preferred, there are times when treatment is warranted to prevent further losses. The most common treatment is to give a drench daily containing 50 to 100 mg of ammonium molybdate and 0.5 to 1.0g of sodium sulfate. Though more data is needed, observations suggest that goats are more tolerant of copper than sheep.