[Jacob-list] Bo-Se - Neal?

Neal Grose nlgrose at yadtel.net
Sat Jun 18 06:57:53 EDT 2011

There can certainly be variations in the way sheep utilize trace minerals. I remember the Johnsons saying that Soay had an enormous need for iodine. We used to routinely treat dry cows for selenium to help prevent retained placentas, but no longer do so, and seldom have a problem. My guess id that if you feed some variety of forages, individual trace mineral problems will be reduced.

I don’t know if selenium uptake by plants responds to changes in soil pH, or the presence of things like high iron or aluminum content. (One local farmer had copper deficiency that was caused by extreme iron in her soils – it flooded all the metabolic sites that should have been used for copper.) There are some soils that are just so selenium deficient that there will be a problem with the forages.

Neal


From: Linda
Sent: Friday, June 17, 2011 9:28 PM
To: Laura C Frazier
Cc: jacob-list at jacobsheep.com
Subject: Re: [Jacob-list] Bo-Se - Neal?

Thanks for the input. Would you think this ewe had a genetic problem with selenium utilization if other members of her flock didn't have the problem? The ewe is an adult, I assume. Has she ever shown signs of selenium deficiency? infertility? fleece? horns?
Neal - jump in!

Linda
On 6/17/2011 9:02 PM, Laura C Frazier wrote:
This is what I've heard/read: If the ewe has been selenium deficient and not treated ever, then she continues to be more and more deficient -- the grass is deficient and the hay from that area is deficient. The lamb is not getting the selenium it needs during pregnancy and following from the milk. So even if I give shots, they will not make up for the deficiency already in place. His muscle gain was not normal and since the brain is a muscle, there was some sort of issue there as well. This ewe had a lamb like this in her first year, had one of her twins die her second year and then had this twin like this. The deficiency can affect fertility, fleece, and horns. This lamb went two and a half months once the shots were given and I provided a mineral/protein block with selenium and loose salt/selenium and was only slightly wobbly, but never "normal". If given in amounts way over what's needed, it can kill sheep. It does affect goats and cows.


Laura C Frazier
FarmGirl Arts
(336) 971-3834
Kernersville, NC
http://FarmGirlArts.com
http://www.etsy.com/shop/FarmGirlArts




On Jun 17, 2011, at 7:23 PM, Linda wrote:


If the mother is selenium deficient, won't selenium supplements/injections solve that problem? Or is there some genetic problem with utilizing selenium? I'm pretty ignorant about selenium deficiency. I've twice had lambs that could not stand at birth - I did not witness either birth. The first guy (seven years ago) was a guy that I loved on paper before he was born. His birth fleece was darn nice. I took him to the vet for testing and he was not selenium deficient. The vet felt that he had suffered oxygen deprivation during a prolonged birth causing CNS damage. Rocky had periods where I thought he was going to be okay, but the vet said that periods when the lamb can stand and seem normal is common in newborns with cns damage.
Are some sheep more prone to selenium deficiency? I don't know, which is why I'm asking.

On 6/16/2011 5:01 PM, Laura C Frazier wrote:
Susan,
I just returned from having a lamb born with Selenium deficiency (White Muscle Disease) euthanized. He was 2 and 1/2 months old. When born he was wobbly on his back legs but would run and play. His face was a bit funny looking, too. I gave him, his twin and mother Bo-Se twice three days apart as soon as I was able to get the Bo-Se. He did quite well until just two days ago. I'm thinking one of the other sheep pushed him around some. He went down in his hind legs. His muscles had not been developing like the others any way. I gave him another shot of Bo-Se, but saw no improvement. I knew this would just go on, so I had him put down. His mother is selenium deficient so I won't be breeding her anymore. Not worth it. His twin is just fine. I keep a mix of Selenium, Vitamin E and salt out free choice. My area of North Carolina is one of the most Selenium deficient areas in the country.

Laura


Laura C Frazier
FarmGirl Arts
(336) 971-3834
Kernersville, NC
http://FarmGirlArts.com
http://www.etsy.com/shop/FarmGirlArts




Message: 1
Date: Thu, 16 Jun 2011 10:16:34 -0400
From: "Susan J Martin" <stcroft at ptd.net>
Subject: [Jacob-list] (no subject)
To: "Sheep E-mail List" <jacob-list at jacobsheep.com>
Message-ID: <71B9F4241176404DA88779C11109A70D at Ultra>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"

Just curious - how many of you give Bo-Se injections? When do you give the injections? Do you inject both ewes and lambs, and when? When do you give Bo-Se to your rams? Any information on your management of Bo-Se would be appreciated...thanks.
Sue Martin
Stonecroft
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