How do you treat selenium deficiency in calves?
In order to prevent WMD and other selenium deficiency disorders, cattle can be given selenium supplements that can be injected, or provided through mineral mixes or a bolus5 (Figures 2 and 3).
How often can you give a calf selenium?
Alternatively, since these vitamins are fat soluble and are stored in the body, they can be fed in a concentrated form every two to three weeks. Supplementation of newly weaned calves and feeder cattle with vitamin E is typically part of the daily supplement program.
What are symptoms of white muscle disease in cattle?
Clinical signs of Skeletal White Muscle Disease are weakness, stiffness and trembling. Many calves will lay under their dam nursing. There are no overt signs of illness, just reluctance to stand. Another manifestation of the disease is the congenital form, meaning they are born deficient.
What does selenium do for calves?
Selenium (Se) is now recognised as an essential trace element for ruminants. It is required in cattle for normal growth and fertility and for helping to prevent other health disorders such as mastitis and calf scours.
What causes selenium deficiency in cattle?
Cause of White Muscle Disease Young, growing animals are rapidly creating muscle mass, so Selenium deficiency shows itself most commonly as muscle cell degeneration. There are various areas of the country that are deficient in Selenium and other areas that have toxic levels.
Can you give a calf too much selenium?
Known as white muscle disease, selenium deficiency mainly attacks newborn calves. The condition affects all muscles of the animal, including the heart. Affected cattle cannot stand or walk, have difficulty swallowing or breathing and may die.
Why do calves need selenium?
Selenium is an essential element for animals, but not plants. It is required for growth and to aid resistance to diseases, being involved in the production of antibodies and in the killing of micro-organisms engulfed by macrophages. The dietary requirement of cattle is 0.05 to 0.1 mg Se/kg.
Is selenium good for calves?
What is lack of selenium?
A selenium deficiency is not common in normal, healthy individuals. In some rare cases, a lack of adequate sources of this element will cause significant health risks. One main cause of a selenium deficiency is caused by eating food grown in soils without sufficient selenium.
What diseases do calves have?
Calves will inevitably be exposed, and several may become infected, but only a few should get a disease if the relevant risk factors are minimized and the sources of infection are diluted or bypassed. The three most important disease problems in the young calf are septicemia, diarrhea, and pneumonia.
What is low selenium?
Chronic low levels of selenium, such as those in areas where the soil is deficient in the mineral, can lead to forms of selenium deficiency that affect the bones and joints and cause heart problems or mental retardation, according to the Office of Dietary Supplements.
What is the deficiency of selenium?
Hypothyroidism. A selenium deficiency can also impact the thyroid and lead to hypothyroidism, which in turn causes the sufferer to exhibit symptoms including heart palpitations, emotional disturbance, moisture on the skin, sensitivity to light and many more secondary effects.