title: Selenium and vitamin E in blood sera of cows from farms with increased incidence of disease.
abstract: Selenium and vitamin E concentrations were measured in the blood sera of 287 cows in 91 herds. Herds with chronic mastitis and muscle diseases had significantly lower selenium concentrations (10.4 +/- 5.26 and 11.7 +/- 8.63 micrograms/litre serum, respectively) than healthy control herds (17.7 +/- 15.00 micrograms/litre). The selenium concentrations in herds with low fertility did not differ from control herds. The vitamin E concentrations were similar in all the herds. Supplementation of the mineral mixture with 20 mg sodium selenite and 2 g vitamin E/kg on 15 farms with a deficient selenium supply increased the selenium concentrations in the blood within two months in 12 of the herds. The vitamin E concentrations were hardly influenced by the supplementation.
authors.affiliation: Veterinary Medical Clinic, University of Zurich, Switzerland.
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Braun
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Forrer
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Fürer
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Lutz
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle; D002418:Cattle Diseases / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D008414:Mastitis, Bovine / Q000097:blood*; D009135:Muscular Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000662:veterinary*; D012621:Seasons; D012643:Selenium / Q000097:blood*; D014810:Vitamin E / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D014810:Vitamin E; D012643:Selenium