Use Of Selenium Urged

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 32050, 26 July 1969, Page 9

Use Of Selenium Urged

Where breeding ewea have been on a heavy grain feeding programme this winter farmers were this week urged to drench their ewes with selenium in advance of lambing to counter the possible development of white muscle disease in lamb*.

White muscle ms a fairly widespread disease in lambs in the province 10 years or so ago before the value of selenium in promoting stock health in many areas was recognised. Professor I. E. Coop, professor of animal science at Lincoln College, said this week that grain was dellcient in selenium and where farmers had had their sheep on a large or high grain feeding programme the chances of white muscle disease developing in lambs was greatly increased. All such farmers should, therefore, drench their ewes with five milligrams of selenium two to four weeks before lambing. On properties where in the past there had been a

white muscle disease problem and where grain had been fed this winter, Professor Coop recommended that where ewes had not lambed six weeks after the initial drenching the treatment should be repeated again with the same dosage. Professor Coop said that Mr G. G. Thomson, of the college's veterinary department had reported a response to repeat drenching of late lambing ewes on a selenium-deficient area like the college’s Ashley Dene property.