Selenium Deficiency in Cattle Marc A
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
View metadata, citation and similar papers at core.ac.uk brought to you by CORE provided by Digital Repository @ Iowa State University Volume 45 | Issue 2 Article 3 1983 Selenium Deficiency in Cattle Marc A. Miller Iowa State University James R. Thompson Iowa State University Follow this and additional works at: https://lib.dr.iastate.edu/iowastate_veterinarian Part of the Inorganic Chemicals Commons, and the Large or Food Animal and Equine Medicine Commons Recommended Citation Miller, Marc A. and Thompson, James R. (1983) "Selenium Deficiency in Cattle," Iowa State University Veterinarian: Vol. 45 : Iss. 2 , Article 3. Available at: https://lib.dr.iastate.edu/iowastate_veterinarian/vol45/iss2/3 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Journals at Iowa State University Digital Repository. It has been accepted for inclusion in Iowa State University Veterinarian by an authorized editor of Iowa State University Digital Repository. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Selenium Deficiency in Cattle Marc A. Miller, BS, DVM* James R. Thompson, DVM, MS** SUMMARY A nonselenium-dependent GSH-Px is also Our knowledge of selenium deficiency as a present in tissue. In domestic animals the cause of animal disease has increased since amount of this enzyme varies as well as its tis 1973, when the role of selenium (Se) in glu sue location. In bovine, the liver, lungs, tathione peroxidase was discovered. 1 G1u adrenal glands, testes, and kidneys contain tathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) works with vi both enzymes. However, in the spleen, eryth tamin E in the cytosol to prevent cell rocyte, brain, thymus, adipose tissue, cardiac membrane damage. Selenium deficiency muscle, and skeletal muscle, only Se-depend causes nutritional myopathy (white muscle dis ent GSH-Px is found. 9 The presence of only ease) in young calves and yearlings. It is also Se-dependent GSH-Px helps to explain the lo implicated in a sudden death syndrome in cation of lesions found in Se-deficient animals. calves less than three months old from acute myocardial degeneration. In adult cattle it is AVAILABILITY associated with muscle disease, retained pla Selenium in soil is found in two forms: sele centas, and infertility. Se-deficiency diseases nate and selenite. The selenite form is less have been reported in Canada, Great Britain, available for plant uptake and is found in New Zealand, Sweden, and the United States. 2 acidic, poorly drained soils. Plants grown on BIOLOGICAL AND PHYSIOLOGICAL this type of soil are likely to be Se-deficient. ROLE OF SELENIUM Moreover, good weather and the proper fertil Selenium, in conjunction with vitamin E, izer content of soil provide for a lush growth, prevents cell membrane damage due to excess further reducing Se content by dilution among organic hydroperoxide and hydrogen peroxide the abundant growth. in the cytosol. These peroxides can react with Surveys of crops grown in the United States and destroy cell membrane components by ox provide data needed to map areas of Se-defi idation. While vitamin E acts directly, selenium ciency. Deficient areas in the United States in works as part of GSH-Px. 4 This enzyme cata clude the southeast, northeast, midwest, and lyzes the following reaction: 3, 4 Reduced Glu far northwest. 1o These areas of low plant sele tathion + H 20 2 GSH-Px Oxidized Glu- nium (less than .05 ppm) correlate closely with the occurrence of Se-deficiency diseases. tathione + H 20. Through its metabolism of hydroperoxides, In animal diets the availability of Se for ab GSH-Px may be involved with the following: sorption is important, since no mechanism for the synthesis of various prostaglandin deriva its storage has been recognized. Animals are tives; the normal function oflymphocytes, neu able to utilize both the inorganic salts (selenite, trophils, and macrophages; and maintenance selenate) and organic forms (plant, animal) of Se. ll The organic form of plant origin has the of erythrocyte integrity. 2,5,6,7 Moreover, GSH- Px prevents sarcolemma damage and, there best biological availability. However, inorganic fore, muscle fiber damage.s selenite is the form most often used for supple mentation, since it is least expensive. *Dr. Miller is a 1983 graduate of the College of Veteri nary Medicine at Iowa State University. Selenium availability is antagonized by high, **Dr. Thompson is an associate professor in Veterinary nontoxic levels of certain elements in the diet. Clinical Sciences at Iowa State University. These include copper, silver, tellurium, zinc, 96 Iowa State Veterinarian arsenic, and mercury.12,13 Even though this an calves. Studies done in England, North Caro tagonism has only been shown experimentally, lina, and Ohio indicate that Se/vitamin E sup it should be considered when Se-deficiency oc plements substantially decreased the incidence curs in heavily supplemented herds. of retained placenta. These cattle were from herds with a history of retained placenta prob CLINICAL SIGNS lems and were eventually found to have diets Selenium deficiency affects cattle of all age deficient in Se. 17 ,18,19,20,21 Other recent studies groups. In calves under six months of age, evaluated the effect ofSe/vitamin E supplemen three syndromes of myopathy appear, depend tation of dry cows on decreasing the incidence ing on which muscle group is affected. of retained placenta; no prevention of inci With cardiac involvement, sudden death can dence could be shown. 22,23 Therefore, the role of occur in calves up to two months of age and is Se/vitamin E deficiency in causing retained associated with a period of excitement usually placenta is questionable. precipitated by feeding. On four farms in England, calves exhibited grunting and then died within one minute showing no other CLINICAL PATHOLOGY signs. a All herdmates had low selenium status, A few reliably accurate methods may be and no further deaths occurred after Se supple used to determine the Se status of cattle. For mentation. samples of whole blood, tissues, and feed, a If the diaphragm and intercostals are the direct analysis for Se content is widely used. In main muscles involved, the clinical signs simu whole blood, normal levels are 0.8-2.5 umol/ late pneumonia. Dyspnea and abdominal liter, and clinical signs occur at levels below 0.4 breathing are observed. umol/liter. 26 For liver and kidney samples, When mainly skeletal muscle is involved, levels of below 3.0 and 30 umol/kg dry matter, lameness, tremors, and symmetrical weakness respectively, indicate Se-deficiency. The liver is are present.15 The muscles of the hind limbs preferred for analysis, since in animals fed Se and back are usually involved. In acute cases deficient diets, the kidneys retain Se and there the muscles are swollen and hard if palpated. fore give falsely elevated values. 27 For a feed However, in chronic cases they are hard, rub sample, a level below 100 ppb is considered Se bery and somewhat atrophied. Since muscle in deficient.8 volvement is usually generalized, the appear Indirect indicators of Se status are glu ance of the preceding syndromes can overlap. tathione peroxidase and aspartate aminotrans Another syndrome in calves, seemingly un ferase enzyme activity, which decrease and in related to myopathy, is a Se-responsive unthrif crease, respectively, in Se-deficient animals. tiness in dairy and beefcalves. 10 This syndrome GSH-Px levels are probably less affected by the varies from a subclinical growth deficit to a daily diet than blood selenium, since GSH-Px sudden loss of condition, and is commonly as is incorporated into erythrocytes during eryth sociated with a profuse diarrhea of undeter ropoiesis.8 Therefore, GSH-Px might be a mined cause. more constant value and more reliable. Nor In yearlings and adult cattle, a nutritional mal values for GSH-Px activity are 3,000 myopathy with myoglobinuria is associated Units/ml of blood or 30 Units/mg of blood. with Se-deficiency. It is more common in year Simple, qualitative tests for GSH-Px have been lings and is induced by stress due to transporta developed for field use. They are reported to be tion' bad weather, or turning out to pasture in rapid, relatively inexpensive, and able to dif the spring.8,16 These factors, in conjunction ferentiate inadequate Se status of cattle. 28,29 with Se-deficiency, likely precipitate the prob Two other serum enzymes are used to deter lem. The main clinical signs are locomotor dis mine muscle damage.The first, creatine phos turbance and myoglobinuria. Also in adult cat phokinase, is specific for myodegeneration. tle, two reports describe a post-parturient Levels for this enzyme rise quickly to 1,000 downer cow syndrome resembling milk fever. 16 5,000 mU/ml, but can drop to normal levels in The affected cows were stiff, reluctant to walk, 3-4 days if there is no ongoing myodegenera and recumbant in severe cases. tion. With a second enzyme, glutamic ox Other problems possibly linked to Se-defi aloacetic transaminase, the levels will rise and ciency in cows include higher incidence of re drop much slower, but this enzyme is not spe tained placenta, abortion, and birth of weak cific for myodegeneration. Overall, the moni- VOl. 45, .No. 2 97 toring of both these enzymes can indicate if the riodical injections or oral dosing with Se salts, myodegeneration is ongoing or regressing. the use of Se-supplemented salt licks, or possi ble addition of selenium to soil to raise the GROSS AND MICROSCOPIC LESIONS forage content. The basic lesion associated with Se-deficien For intramuscular, subcutaneous, or oral cy is a hyaline degeneration of striated muscle routes, a dosage of 3-6 mg/100 lbs. B.W. of that is usually more widespread than the gross elemental Se is recommended.