Copper Cobalt Supplementation at Erap.

Abstract

A trial to assess the value of copper and cobalt supplementation was conducted at the New Guinea Lowlands Livestock Station, Erap, in which four matched groups of eight steers were used. One group received copper supplementation, another cobalt, the third both, and the fourth was control. Weight gains were recorded for a little over 12 months. At the final weighing the copper-cobalt group was heaviest, but a statistical analysis of the results indicated that the benefits were not quite significant enough to be credited to the supplementation. Thus copper or cobalt supplementation of cattle cannot be regarded as a worthwhile measure in the Erap area of the Markham Valley.