Determination of selenium in the serum of healthy Swiss adults and correlation to dietary intake

Selenium deficiency is responsible for Zenker type muscle degeneration in calves, lambs, and foals in the prenatal and postnatal stages of development. Investigations have shown that the selenium GSH Px, and vitamin E content of the maternal and fetal parts of the placenta in cattle are different. Similarly, low concentrations of selenium are present in milk from cows and sheep. In addition to an inadequate supply of selenium and vitamin E as a contributory cause of fetal nutritive muscular dystrophy (FNMD), it is assumed that a placental transport block and/or impaired selenium metabolism in the placenta are also responsible. Postnatal nutritive muscular dystrophy, however, is attributed to either acute selenium and vitamin E deficiency in basic feed or impaired plant absorption of selenium as a result of antagonistic elements, such as sulphur.

The importance of selenium in the prenatal and postnatal development of calves and lambs.

The relationships between some soil parameters and blood glutathione peroxidase (GSHPx) activity in 15-day-old lambs was studied on 18 sheep farms. Soil samples were analysed for the proportions of sand, silt and clay, pH, and the concentrations of calcium, phosphorus, iron, nitrogen and sulphates. On the farms where the lambs had adequate GSHPx activity (≥130 iu/g Hb) the soils contained significantly more clay, phosphorus and sulphates, and significantly less iron and nitrogen, than on the farms where the lambs did not have adequate GSHPx activity.

http://veterinaryrecord.bmj.com/content/vetrec/141/11/267.full.pdf

Relationships between some soil parameters and the blood glutathione peroxidase activity of grazing sheep

Current trends in biogeochemical research in the former USSR are exemplified for the trace element selenium (Se). Vast regions of the former USSR are low in Se, giving rise to selenium deficiency diseases in animals and to Kaschin-Beck disease in humans, whereas isolated high-Se regions are comparatively rare. The Se content of plants depends on geological soil-type and secondary processes such as weathering and leaching. In general, a direct correlation between the Se content of feedstock and of the blood in animals is observed, whereas corresponding data for humans remain to be accumulated.

Biogeochemical regioning problems and the biogeochemical selenium provinces in the former USSR.

Summary

Simmental x Red Holstein steers which were fed roughage with a low selenium (Se) content received either a Se-delivering bolus orally (group Se+) or no Se supplement (group Se−). Weight gain was not influenced by Se supplementation. When blood for the in-vitro assays was drawn 8 weeks after bolus administration, erythrocyte glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) activity was much higher in Se+ than in Se− animals (P < 0.01). The addition of acetylphenylhydrazine to the blood samples induced significantly fewer Heinz bodies in erythrocytes of Se+ animals (P < 0.01). It was shown that H2Oz induced the formation of identical amounts of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) in the erythrocytes of Se+ and Se− animals. Thus, GSH-Px seems to be more important for the protection of haemoglobin than for the protection of erythrocyte lipids from oxidative damage. After addition of endotoxin and nitroblue tetrazolium to blood samples, leucocytes of Se+ and of Se- animals reduced the same amount of nitroblue tetrazolium. Thus, selenium deficiency apparently had no negative effect on the oxidative burst of leucocytes.

H Horber

Papers

[Providing cattle with selenium in Switzerland: Studies in nursing and breeding cow farms].

Selenium metabolism in ruminants. A review of the literature