A WISE MOVE

Press, Volume XCVIII, Issue 28980, 22 August 1959, Page 8

A WISE MOVE

It is gratifying to learn that regulations will shortly be brought down to control the use of the trace element selenium and incidentally prevent its misuse. The Health Department and Department of Agriculture are collaborating in this project. Scientists in giving hopeful reports about the use of selenium in preventing white muscle disease in lambs and also in promoting growth in unthrifty lambs in some cases have always been quick to warn about the possible effects of this highly toxic material on meat products unless it is used with great care. Mr W. J. Hartley, a veterinarian of the Wallaceville Animal Research Station, said at the Massey sheepfarmers’ conference this year that much work was still to be done to determine what selenium was left in the carcase of the sheep when it was fattened, but he said that it was felt that the small amount of the element used would have no deleterious effect. At present selenium is administered directly to animals but work is also proceeding on the possibility of applying selenium to the soil by topdressing.