Associations between hair trace mineral concentrations and the occurrence of treponeme-associated hoof disease in elk (Cervus canadensis).
Authors: Winter, Fernandez, Taylor, Wild
Journal: BMC veterinary research
Summary
# Editorial Summary: Trace Minerals and Treponeme-Associated Hoof Disease in Elk Treponeme-associated hoof disease represents an emerging threat to free-ranging elk populations in the U.S. Pacific Northwest, with preliminary observations suggesting that selenium and copper deficiencies might increase disease susceptibility—a hypothesis worth examining given the established roles of these minerals in immune competence and hoof integrity within domestic livestock. Winter and colleagues analysed hair mineral concentrations from 72 free-ranging elk across Washington, California, Idaho, and Oregon using logistic and multinomial regression models, taking advantage of hair as a non-invasive biomarker that correlates reasonably well with systemic mineral status and can be collected from both live animals and carcasses. Selenium concentration showed the most consistent inverse association with TAHD occurrence and severity, whilst support for involvement of copper, zinc, and other suspected toxicants proved less robust, though considerable individual variation in mineral levels complicated pattern identification. The authors acknowledge their findings as preliminary, yet the persistent relationship between potentially depressed selenium status and disease manifestation warrants further investigation, particularly as reference ranges for wild elk remain poorly established. For equine practitioners, this work reinforces the importance of trace mineral adequacy—especially selenium—in supporting hoof health and immune function, and demonstrates how hair analysis, though variable between individuals, offers a practical non-invasive sampling approach that might usefully inform mineral status assessment in horses with recurrent or refractory hoof disease.
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Practical Takeaways
- •Selenium status may be an important modifiable risk factor for hoof disease susceptibility; practitioners should consider mineral analysis when evaluating hoof health problems in wildlife or mineral-supplemented domestic herds.
- •Mineral relationships differ between wild and domestic animals; reference ranges established in livestock may not apply directly to free-ranging species, limiting direct translation to equine practice.
- •Hair sampling offers a practical non-invasive alternative for trace mineral assessment in live and deceased animals, though individual variation is substantial and requires larger reference populations.
Key Findings
- •Selenium concentration showed consistent inverse association with TAHD occurrence in 72 free-ranging elk, supporting the hypothesis that low selenium increases disease susceptibility.
- •Limited associations were found between TAHD and other minerals (copper, zinc) previously linked to hoof health in domestic livestock.
- •Hair mineral analysis revealed high variability in trace mineral concentrations between individual elk, suggesting individual variation in mineral metabolism.
- •Hair sampling proved to be a non-invasive, feasible method for collecting trace mineral reference data from wild elk populations.