Metal & Mineral Panel (ICP/MS)

One or more of the following*: 

• both 0.5 mL EDTA whole blood and 1 mL serum (both sample types are required)
• 5 g fresh liver
• 0 mg fresh liver biopsy (approx. 3 Tru-Cut samples, no fluid added)
• 500 g feed

For birds, 0.6 mL EDTA or heparinized whole blood is adequate.

*Serum selenium provides current day levels, while whole blood selenium indicates selenium status over a longer period of time. TVMDL can interpret both serum and whole blood selenium concentrations for cattle, horses, sheep, birds or white-tailed deer. For goats, TVMDL has reference values for serum or plasma only.

Blood, serum, and urine samples are tested on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays with a turnaround time of 5 days. Tissue and feed samples are tested on Mondays and Thursdays with a turnaround time of 7 days.

Do not submit tissues in formalin or saline. For feedstuff, submit a representative sample of the entire ration. Do not centrifuge EDTA whole blood samples. Serum and plasma samples should be centrifuged and removed from the clot. If zinc deficiency or toxicity is suspected, use a plastic tube or a royal blue top trace mineral tube. Please see the Tube Submission Reference Chart for more information.

Tissue or feed: sealed, leak-proof plastic bag or container. A $10.75 sample preparation fee will be added to tissue and feed specimens. 

Blood: EDTA (purple top) tube is preferred; heparin (green top) is acceptable. 

Serum: remove from red cells and place sample in an additive free transport tube. If vitamin testing is also desired, wrap tubes in foil or other light-protective material.

Label all samples. Ship overnight on cold packs.

Samples must be received in the testing lab / location by 3:30 p.m., otherwise samples will be held until the next scheduled test day. The time required to complete testing of 5 or more feed/tissue samples and 10 or more whole blood samples may take longer than the posted turnaround time. Samples will be processed as quickly as possible.

Blood, serum, and urine samples are tested on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays with a turnaround time of 5 days. Tissue and feed samples are tested on Mondays and Thursdays with a turnaround time of 7 days.