Sulfur-Selenium Studies in Sheep. II. Effect of a Dietary Sulfur Deficiency on Selenium and Sulfur Metabolism in Sheep Fed Varying Levels of Selenomethionine

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Abstract
The effect of a S deficiency on the metabolism of Se and S was investigated in 8 Merino wethers. The sheep were fed high-S (2 g S/kg) or low-S (0.5 g S/kg) diets for 2 periods of 35 days each, and received Se as selenomethionine at dietary concentrations of 0.02, 0.06, 0.09 and 0.67 mg Se/kg. Sheep fed the low-S diet had reduced feed intake, reduced N, S and Se balance, but elevated plasma and wool selenium concentrations. Se concentrations in organs and tissues of slaughtered animals paralleled the Se intake of the animal, with the renal cortex containing the highest concentration and bone the lowest. The effect of the 0.5 g S/kg diet on feed intake contrasts with results from 3 previous experiment using 0.7 g S/kg; this difference in feed intake was responsible for many effects observed on Se metabolism. Once the feed intake effects are accounted for, the implications for S-Se interactions remain as before: more Se is incorporated into wool and plasma protein when dietary S is limiting than when it is not.