CASE FOR CAUTION

Press, Volume XCIX, Issue 29336, 15 October 1960, Page 8

CASE FOR CAUTION

In. the eyes of many farmers the trace element selenium has become' something of a miracle material and it is natural that there should be a widespread demand for its use. It has been shown that it can prevent the congenital and delayed forms of white muscle disease, the barren ewe problem associated with congenital white musele and some fo'rms of UOlhrifiinesA in lamps. For these reasons it has a justifiable reputation. But it is not a cllre-all and not all stock respond to its administration Where responses are -r-d'CTdifd 11 Ik reasonable to a«siihie ;,ovt-it is. lacking in toe paCtiei.lar. animal, but. where it is •dmihistfirM to Stock, ihst jhn* Ui> response Slid vtoicn presumably have no lacs, or the Hecfe etawikm." there "are giounor fbv corteern Vs to ywt bSppana. to tiffs maierffi Thefeason tor the concern is that selenium is a highly toxic material. This has been dtnphasi sect on many occasions, but there : iff reason to bdlieyfe that farntflrs should be reminded of this again. - The point was made by Messrs

s W. J. Hartley, A. B. Grant, and s C. Drake, of Wallaceville Animal » Research Station, at the last Linj eoln farmers' conference. They said in a joint paper that it was imperative that only the minimal , selenium requirements for the f animal be given. "We iriust take , all possible precautions to avoid the cdntentiohs problem of selen- , ium residues in our export lamb eareases. ”' The veterinary profession has a special responsibility in the use of- selenium. It is only under a 1 veterinarian’s authority that a ’ farmer can secure selenium. This 'is laid down by-' “g laiiouf odei the r’oisons Av. >1 It is bhi* pidpei iuerhfure tlrel j,;s vrierinaiieu shovui satiety bim- . self before allowing » farmer to » ilSe selenium rhsi if *4ll benefit L . thi fSrmbc s st<N*«. ThF practice ■> Of perraitrmg a u.ue o use aelenictm only after a trial has been conducted on ills property to determine whether indeed it is c beneficial on,hi* property is only * sensible under the circumstances e and is In the interests of the fats mer and the country. Farmers ** Should eiisurd that these safes awards ate taken.