Louisiana State University Agricultural Center reports: "El Nino is predicted to bring a wet winter to this region [US Gulf Coast of the Gulf of Mexico]. Calf morbidity and mortality may increase. Next Spring, calves nursing cows that are grazing rye grass on organic soils in coastal parishes [counties] may exhibit an increase in chronic diarrhea, abomasal ulcers, and failure to thrive associated with secondary copper deficiency. Rye grass pastures on upland soils that had a history of producing copper deficiency in nursing calves this wet ['97] spring will repeat unless cows receive additional copper in the diet. Reported via promed@usa.healthnet.org
Back to The 1997 El Niño/Southern Oscillation (ENSO 97-98)