Selenium poisoning in livestock: a review and progress

James, L.F. and Panter, K.E. and Mayland, H.F. and Miller, M.R. and Baker, D.C. (1989) Selenium poisoning in livestock: a review and progress. SSSAJ Special Publication "Selenium in Agriculture and the Environment". 23:123-131.

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Abstract

Selenium in certain soils may be taken up by plants in amounts to render them
toxic. Seleniferous forage can be found in most of the western states. Intoxication
of livestock by seleniferous plants has been classified as acute and chronic. Acute
poisoning results from consumption of plants having high levels of Se; chronic Se
poisoning has been described in two forms— alkali disease and blind staggers. Alkali
disease is said to result from the consumption of seleniferous grains and grasses,
and is manifest by loss of hair, lameness, and loss of weight. Blind staggers is slid
to result from the consumption of Se indicator plants and is manifest by wandering,
circling, loss of ability to swallow, and blindness. Some research casts doubt on the
above classification of Se poisoning. Research using pigs (Sus scrofa domesticus) indicates
that the source of Se does not alter the type of lesion or signs of poisoning
observed. There are data available that suggest that blind staggers is not related to
Se poisoning.

Item Type:	Article
NWISRL Publication Number:	0677
Subjects:	Animal > Animal health Mass Import - autoclassified (may be erroneous)
Depositing User:	Dan Stieneke
Date Deposited:	20 Nov 2010 21:53
Last Modified:	05 Jan 2017 18:53
Item ID:	514
URI:	https://eprints.nwisrl.ars.usda.gov/id/eprint/514