Molybdenosis: A Potential Problem in Ruminants Grazing on Coal Mine Spoils

Abstract

Copper-to-molybdenum ratios in all but two sweetclover samples collected on spoil at eight coal mines in the Northern Great Plains ranged from 0.44:1 to 5:1. Ratios of 5:1 or less in forage are reported to cause molybdenosis, a nutritional disease occurring in molybdic regions of the world. Therefore, if the major forage on coal-mine spoils is sweetclover or other species with similar Cu:Mo ratios, molybdenosis may be expected to occur in cattle and sheep grazing in these areas.