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Influence of Sulfur on Incidence of White Muscle Disease in Lambs^{1, 2,}

Departments of Agricultural Chemistry, Veterinary Medicine, and Animal Science, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon

Two trials were conducted with sheep to investigate the effect of sulfur on the incidence of white muscle disease (WMD). Neither methionine nor sulfate increased the incidence of WMD in either trial, but sulfate significantly increased the number of lambs with degenerative lesions of the heart. There was a fivefold increase of plasma glutamic-oxaloacetic transaminase (GOT), lactic dehydrogenase (LDH) and malic dehydrogenase (MDH) of the lambs at 2 weeks of age with the nonsupplemented ewes as compared with those from ewes receiving selenium. The GOT, LDH and MDH levels of the lambs from ewes fed sulfate or methionine were twofold greater than comparable values of the control lot. At 6 weeks of age, however, the levels of these enzymes of the sulfate and methionine lots had approached the levels of the nonsupplemented group. White muscle disease had no effect on blood glucose, lactate or choleserol. Based on the enzyme levels, the sulfur sources appeared to delay the onset of WMD. A significant "carryover" of selenium was noted.

² Supported in part by Public Health Service Research Grant no. NB 07413-01 from the National Institute of Neurological Diseases and Blindness.

Manuscript received 29 July 1968.