THE POWER OF SELENIUM FOR YOUR LIVESTOCK

Courtesy Elanco

Your sheep and cattle need a range of essential trace minerals to support their health, fertility and performance.

One of the most important is selenium, which helps protect cells from oxidative damage and supports disease resistance, muscle function and fertility.

Elanco Senior Brand Manager – Cattle, Kim Krilich, says selenium deficiency can occur in all classes of sheep and cattle.

“Deficiencies can occur if livestock don’t consume enough selenium from pasture or rations, or if it is not available in a form that the animal can absorb and metabolise,” she says.

“Many soil types found throughout Australia, such as sandy coastal, acidic or granite soils, are deficient in selenium.

“It is particularly prevalent in high rainfall areas (>450 mm rain per year), where improved, irrigated or fertilised pastures can grow rapidly, such as a spring flush.”

Recognising the signs

In young livestock, signs of clinical selenium deficiency can include scouring, a stiff gait, an arched back or lameness, reduced growth rates, increased susceptibility to parasites and disease, and sudden death resulting from heart failure.

In adult sheep and cattle, signs can include poor condition, reduced fertility, stillbirths, weak lambs or calves, retained foetal membranes, mastitis, and reduced wool and milk production.

“These symptoms are the tip of the iceberg,” Kim says.

“We see a loss in productivity and performance in livestock occurring well before these symptoms are present, which can often go unnoticed.”

Check before supplementing

Before starting a selenium supplementation program, consult your veterinarian or animal health advisor to determine your livestock’s selenium status.

“Selenium status is best determined using blood or liver samples and taken from livestock that have not had access to any supplementary sources of selenium,” Kim says.

Sheep and cattle with low selenium levels or at risk of clinical deficiency may require a suitable long-acting treatment, such as Selovin™ LA from Elanco.

A convenient, single treatment can elevate blood selenium levels for up to 18 months in sheep and up to 12 months in cattle. Its sustained activity provides a steady supply of selenium over the treatment period.

Using Selovin LA correctly

Selovin LA is administered by subcutaneous injection—under the skin—using Elanco’s 7 mL or 15 mL injector. The article specifies an 18-gauge needle for sheep or a 16-gauge needle for cattle, less than 15 mm in length.

The stated dose rates are:

• Lambs: 0.5 mL per head.
• Sheep: 1 mL per head.
• Cattle: 1 mL per 50 kg body weight.

“Care should be taken to avoid overdosing, particularly during early pregnancy,” Kim says.

“Always weigh your livestock and determine the correct dose rate on the label based on the heaviest animal in the mob.”

Kim also stresses the importance of correct administration and good hygiene.

“The injection site is high on the neck behind the ear, which minimises the risk of any carcase damage.

“Raise the skin into a ‘tent’ and insert the needle parallel to the body to release the dose under the skin, taking care to avoid self-injection.

“Make sure the needles are clean, and nice and sharp—and replace them as necessary.

“Maintain cleanliness and avoid administration during wet or dusty conditions.”

Always follow the current product label and your veterinarian’s advice when treating livestock.

Support during key production stages

Your livestock may also experience subclinical mineral deficiencies when their feed does not meet their nutritional requirements during important production stages, such as before joining, lambing, calving or weaning.

In these situations, a short-acting selenium supplement, such as Cobalife™ VB12 Plus Selenium or MultiBoost™ with B12 for cattle, may be suitable.

For more information about Elanco’s mineral supplementation range, speak with your local store, contact your local Elanco representative or call Elanco Customer Service on 1800 995 709.

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