Home › Animalia › Animal health › Animal diseases › Copper deficiency in sheep
Copper deficiency in sheep
Copper is an essential trace element in very small quantities. It is involved in the formation of the sheath that protects the nerves, in the quality of wool, in the production of red blood cells and in the strength of the bone. When the ew...
What is it?
Copper is an essential trace element in very small quantities. It is involved in the formation of the sheath that protects the nerves, in the quality of wool, in the production of red blood cells and in the strength of the bone.
When the ewe lacks it during gestation, the lamb is born with poorly formed nerves: it staggers from the hindquarters, or cannot get up.
But the sheep is also the domestic species most sensitive to excess copper: it accumulates it in the liver without knowing it, until a sudden and often fatal release. The margin between withdrawal and intoxication is narrow.
Key point
Please note, this sheet describes two opposing dangers. Lack of copper paralyzes lambs; excess copper kills adults. Never supplement without analysis and veterinary advice, and never give sheep food intended for another species.
Commonly observed signs
These signs are neither exhaustive nor specific. Only a veterinarian can establish a diagnosis.
Related signs — each one links to its page:
In lambs, early form: from birth or in the first days, it does not stand up, or stands up with its hindquarters giving way and oscillating. The most affected cases remain in bed and die from lack of breastfeeding.
In the lamb, delayed form: the lamb is born normal, then in the first weeks the gait becomes hesitant, the hindquarters cross, it stumbles, falls when it runs, and sometimes ends up paralyzed from the hindquarters. Consciousness and appetite remain normal, which is characteristic.
In older animals, the signs are more discreet: slowed growth, animals that remain small, dry fleece without waviness, wool that fades, discolored hair around the eyes in breeds with pigmented faces.
Anemia with pale mucous membranes, fatigue on exercise.
Diarrhea in some animals.
Fragile bones, fractures or lameness without obvious traumatic cause.
Reduced fertility in the herd.
When to consult without delay
This list does not replace veterinary advice. It gathers situations that justify a prompt consultation.
Causes and risk factors
Direct lack of copper in the soil, therefore in the fodder and cereals produced on the farm. Certain regions and soil types are known for this.
Blockage of absorption, more common than direct lack: an excess of molybdenum, sulfur or iron in fodder or in water prevents the copper present from being used. The ration can then contain enough copper on paper and the animal actually lacks it.
Use of a mineral supplement low in copper or unsuitable for sheep.
Increased needs not covered: multiple gestation, strong growth of lambs.
Farms which produce all of their fodder on soils poor in copper or rich in molybdenum.
Drinking waters rich in sulfates or iron.
Pregnant ewes not supplemented or supplemented with an unsuitable mineral.
Breeds and bloodlines that differ in their ability to use copper.
Absence of forage analysis: both the deficiency and the excess set in without visible signs for months.
Diagnosis and care
Diagnosis is the veterinarian's responsibility, based on clinical examination and laboratory tests. Care is decided case by case.
The diagnosis is not made by eye. The veterinarian relies on herd signs, blood tests, forage and water analysis, and sometimes examination of the liver of a dead or slaughtered animal.
These analyzes serve as much to confirm the deficiency as to rule out the excess, because certain signs overlap and the course of action is opposite.
In a lamb that staggers, the veterinarian must also rule out other causes: white muscle disease, spinal trauma, nerve infections, parasites.
Before any supplementation, you must know what the ration already provides, including water and licks.
Treatment
Copper supplementation is decided, dosed and monitored by the veterinarian, never on personal initiative. The quantity and form depend on the ration, water, breed and what the animals are already receiving.
In lambs already affected in their nerves, the lesions are irreversible: supplementation does not make a paralyzed lamb walk again. On the other hand, it protects unborn lambs and those which are not yet affected.
Mildly affected lambs may survive and grow with an imperfect gait; severe cases are not salvageable and a decision must be made with the veterinarian to avoid suffering.
In adults, the correction improves growth, fleece and fertility, but always under the control of regular analyses.
Treatment depends on the cause and the animal's condition: it must be determined by a veterinarian. No self-medication.
Prevention
Have the fodder, concentrates and water analyzed before supplementing: this is the only way to know if there is a deficiency, blockage by molybdenum or sulfur, or already an excess.
Supplement pregnant ewes according to the veterinarian's recommendations, taking into account everything else the animals ingest.
Major warning: never give sheep any food, lick or mineral intended for cattle, pigs, poultry or horses. These products contain levels of copper perfectly suited to these species and toxic to sheep, which accumulate copper in their liver for weeks without showing the slightest sign. Then the liver suddenly releases its load: the animal turns yellow, its urine becomes very dark, it collapses and often dies within one or two days. This error is common and serious, and it often affects several animals at once.
Same caution with poultry manure spread on pastures and with the remains of food from other species distributed to sheep.
Do not combine several sources of copper: a supplemented food, plus a licking block, plus a treatment, it ends up being a lot.
Regularly monitor the status of the herd with the veterinarian rather than installing permanent supplementation and forgetting about it.
Possible complications
Lambs permanently paralyzed, not recoverable.
Mortality of lambs in the first days, due to lack of being able to suckle.
Long-lasting anemia and growth retardation.
Fractures and lameness linked to bone fragility.
Copper poisoning in the event of excessive supplementation or food intended for another species: jaundice, very dark urine, sudden depression and death. This is the most dangerous complication and is of human origin.
When to see a veterinarian
Lambs are born which do not stand up or whose hindquarters give way.
Several lambs from the same flock stagger or fall while running while eating normally.
The lambs remain small, the fleece is dry and discolored, the ewes lose weight without obvious cause.
Animals suddenly turn yellow, slaughtered, with very dark urine: emergency, and immediately report any recently introduced food or mineral.
You are considering supplementing with copper: ask for advice and analyzes before, never after.
Prognosis
In lambs affected in their nerves, the individual prognosis is poor: the lesions are not repaired.
At the flock level, the prognosis is good as long as the ration of pregnant ewes is corrected: the lambs of the following campaigns are born normal.
In the case of excess copper poisoning, the prognosis for animals exhibiting jaundice is very poor, but other animals in the flock can be protected by immediately removing the source.
Frequently asked questions
Can I give my sheep the same lick that I use for my cows?
No, never. Cattle minerals contain levels of copper that are normal for cows and toxic for sheep. The accumulation occurs silently in the liver, then the animal dies suddenly. Only use products with an explicit label for sheep.
My lambs are staggering: is it necessarily the copper?
No. White muscle disease, trauma, nerve infection or parasitic attack give similar symptoms. Only the veterinarian, with blood and fodder tests, can decide, and the course of action is not the same.
Can a paralyzed lamb be cured if I give copper?
No. Nerves already affected cannot be repaired. Correction protects the unborn and unaffected lambs; it does not make a paralyzed lamb walk again.
My ration contains copper on the label, can my sheep still lack it?
Yes. Excess molybdenum, sulfur or iron in fodder or water blocks the use of the copper present. This is why the analysis focuses on forage and water, and not just on the food label.
References
FAO — Organisation des Nations unies pour l'alimentation et l'agriculture
EFSA — Autorité européenne de sécurité des aliments
Content reviewed by the TunisieVet editorial team · Updated 09 August 2026
AT A GLANCE
Need a veterinarian?
Find a practitioner near you on TunisieVet, with their specialities, hours and contact details.
Find a veterinarianAffected species
This information is provided for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for a veterinary consultation. If you have any concerns about your animal's health, consult a veterinarian.
To discover
Related diseases and linked Animalia content.
Toxoplasmosis
Parasitic
Coccidiosis
Parasitic
Foot-and-mouth disease
Viral · Vaccine available
Brucellosis
Bacterial · Vaccine available