QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text (PDF) Purchase Article View Shopping Cart Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Whanger, P. D. Articles by Oldfield, J. E. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Whanger, P. D. Articles by Oldfield, J. E.

Effects of Selenium and Vitamin E Deficiencies on Reproduction, Growth, Blood Components, and Tissue Lesions in Sheep Fed Purified Diets¹

Oregon State Agricultural Experiment Station, Corvallis, Oregon 97331

Three 2 x 2 factorial experiments were conducted with sheep fed purified diets to determine the effects of selenium and vitamin E on the incidence of white muscle disease (WMD) and blood components. All lambs reaching 6 weeks of age in the group receiving no vitamin E or selenium developed WMD lesions, whereas only a few lambs in either the +E - Se or -E + Se treatment groups developed these lesions. Plasma activities of creatine phosphokinase, lactic dehydrogenase and glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase were significantly elevated in lambs receiving no vitamin E or selenium, whereas these enzyme activities in those receiving only selenium were non-significantly elevated. The enzyme activities in plasma of those on the +E - Se or +E + Se treatments were maintained at low levels, suggesting vitamin E alone is more effective in preventing WMD than selenium alone. The metabolic interactions of these essentials are discussed.

KEY WORDS: • lambs • vitamin E • selenium • white muscle disease • purified diets

¹ Published with the approval of the Director of Oregon State Agricultural Experiment Station as Technical Paper No. 4340. Supported by Public Health Service Research Grant NS 07413 from National Institutes of Neurological Disease and Stroke.

² Department of Agricultural Chemistry.

³ Department of Veterinary Medicine.

⁴ Department of Animal Science.

Manuscript received 30 August 1976.