Copper & Molybdenum in Soils & Forage Farming Note

Copper is essential to animal health for a number of metabolic functions including growth, production and fertility. Copper levels in grass and forages are determined by a number of factors, and are also further complicated by interactions of antagonistic minerals in the rumen, in particular molybdenum. Where forage mineral balance is out of kilter, soil improvement and grassland management can be used to modify copper levels in the forage.

This Farming Note covers:

• How to improve copper levels in deficient soils
• Forage mineral analyses
• The use of grassland management to improve copper levels
• Controlling Molybdenum case study

Issued August 2009.

About Kingshay Farming Notes

Since 1991 Kingshay has been publishing Farming Notes on issues critical to the success of a modern dairy farm business. These briefings provide dairy farmers, large animal vets, farm consultants and other interested parties with the most important and timely information in a concise two-page format. The information contained in our Farming Notes is written and updated by our experts to ensure accuracy and save you time.

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