Effects of Excess Dietary Selenite on Lead Toxicity in Sheep

Mayland, H.F. and Doyle, J.J. and Sharma, R.P. (1986) Effects of Excess Dietary Selenite on Lead Toxicity in Sheep. Biological Trace Element Research. 10:65-75.

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Abstract

The hypothesis that excess dietary selenite ameliorates lead (Pb)
toxicosis in domestic sheep was tested. Twenty 6-8-yr-old ewes fed
alfalfa pellets were assigned to the following treatments: (1) control;
(2) 9.8 mg Pb/kg body weight (b.w.)/d as PbCO3; (3) 3 mg Se/anirnal/d
as Na2SeO3β·5H2O; or (4) a combination of treatments 2 and 3. The
gelatin-encapsulated salts were given orally. The study was terminated
on d 104, by which time three animals in the Pb group and all
five animals in the Pb + Se group had died. All remaining animals
were slaughtered on d 104. Lead and Se concentrations were determined
in six biweekly-collected blood samples and in soft tissues and
bone. Sheep on the control and Se treatments had similar feed intakes,
body weights, and tissue Pb levels. Those in the Pb + Se group
had lower feed intake, but higher blood Pb values compared with the
Pb group. Feeding either element increased (P < 0.05) the concentration
of that element in blood, kidney, liver, spleen, and bone.
Muscle-Pb concentrations were not affected (P < 0.05) by treatment.
Selenium concentrations in kidney, liver, and muscle were greater (P
< 0.05), whereas those in heart were less (P < 0.05) for the Pb + Se
group than for the Se Group. Clinical signs associated with Pb toxicosis
noted in other animals were not observed in the poisoned sheep in
this study. Selenite did not protect sheep against Pb toxicity and
likely served as a synergistic factor.

Item Type:	Article
NWISRL Publication Number:	0577
Subjects:	Animal Mass Import - autoclassified (may be erroneous)
Depositing User:	Dan Stieneke
Date Deposited:	20 Nov 2010 21:52
Last Modified:	13 Jan 2017 20:21
Item ID:	459
URI:	https://eprints.nwisrl.ars.usda.gov/id/eprint/459