[Jacob-list] Fleece Cu Deficiency

[MarmontJacobs at aol.com]

Hi Dennis,
               Copper deficiency in the fleece shows up as a loss of colour 
(to grey) and strength of staple to some extent. This is easily seen by 
looking at the neck wool parting the fleece to the skin. Before our recent 
move to Montgomeryshire, Wales from Norfolk, England I spent three years 
trying to convince my horse vet (few sheep flocks) that some of my 
ram/wethered lambs were suffering from delayed swayback at around 6 months of 
age - running at around 10 per cent of my lambs. The colour loss was one of 
several symptoms. Interestingly affected ewe lambs didn't seem to lose their 
wool colour until closer to a year and, fortunately, had none had more severe 
symptoms. The Hebridean breeders in The Netherlands have done a bit of work 
on this which is interesting to read. The longshot being that bolusing my 
lambs with copper produced a spectacular reversion to normal fleece colour 
although the failure to thrive in the two affected lambs this year hasn't 
been changed, although worse symptoms have been averted. In three weeks time 
I will bolus all my ewes prior to lambing (in late January) and hopefully 
that will be that.

Trisha M-S
Marmont Jacobs, Montgomeryshire, Wales