Effects of Various Methods of Selenium Administration on White Muscle Disease, Glutathione Peroxidase and Plasma Enzyme Activities in Sheep

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Abstract
In order to evaluate different methods for administering selenium to sheep for the prevention of white muscle disease (WMD), this element was given by subcutaneous injection, as a heavy pellet, in a feed (oat) supplement, by aqueous drench, or in salt offered ad libitum. Three injections of selenium during the gestation period, giving selenium as heavy pellets, or including this element in salt (50 ppm) fed free-choice to ewes completely protected their lambs against WMD. A few cases of WMD were found in lambs from ewes given selenium in the oat supplement equivalent to .1 or .2 ppm in the total diets or with the drench. The blood glutathione peroxidase activity was highest in ewes and lambs and the plasma CPK, GOT, and LDH activities were lowest in lambs when ewes were given selenium in salt, as selenium injections, or as selenium pellets in comparison to the other methods of selenium administration. These results indicate that when ewes are fed alfalfa hay, the supplementary selenium requirements for protection of their lambs against WMD are greater than the accepted level of .1 ppm. Copyright © 1978. American Society of Animal Science . Copyright 1978 by American Society of Animal Science.