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Environmental Fate and Characterization of Selenium Supplemented to Intensively Grazed Beef Cattle
 John Maas, Veterinary Medicine Extension, UC Davis; Ken Tate, Jim Oltjen,
and Roland Meyer, UC Davis; Dan Drake, UC Cooperative Extension, Siskiyou
County; J. Michael Connor, Sierra Foothill Research and Extension Center
Selenium (Se) supplementation of livestock in California is necessary for
most operations.
Problem: The farther north one goes in the state, the more likely Se supplementation is necessary for animal health and welfare. Se-deficient cattle are not economical to raise fo
r several reasons:
- * decreased weight gains
- * decreased feed efficiency
- * diarrhea
- * white muscle disease
- * increased susceptibility to infectious diseases
The profitability of a ranching enterprise is adversely affected when Se
deficiency is not corrected; small ranchers are more adversely affected by
Se deficiency than larger producers, who can feed total mixed rations and
have more sophisticated feeding equipment available. Also, large
producers can take advantage of Se-adequate commodities to help balance
rations. If smaller producers were not able to supplement Se, it would
markedly reduce their ability to maintain economic equity, and it would
neutralize their inherent efficiencies.
Study approach: Although Se contamination of the environment has not
been shown to occur with Se supplementation of cattle or other livestock,
examinations have only been conducted to detect environmental
accumulations of Se. Very little information is available on Se cycling in
the environment; therefore, data regarding the environmental fate of Se
supplemented to cattle are extremely important to answer questions
regarding the overall sustainability of livestock operations in California.
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