The Relation of Pre-Natal and Pre-Weaning Treatment to the Effect of Arsanilic Acid on Selenium Poisoning in Weanling Pigs

Abstract

A total of 144 weanling pigs farrowed by sows fed control, selenium and selenium plus arsanilic acid rations were used to determine performance of weanling pigs subjected to these same ration treatments. Feeding a non-selenized basal ration to pigs from similarly fed dams resulted in a faster rate of gain than was obtained when this ration was fed to pigs weaned from sows fed rations containing added selenium or selenium and arsanilic acid. Ten ppm. of selenite selenium in the ration of weanling pigs caused a greater reduction in rate of gain and more selenium toxicity symptoms in pigs which had not had access to selenized rations previous to weaning than in pigs whose dams had received selenium during growth, gestation and lactation. Pigs from sows that had been fed selenized rations over a long period of time appeared to be more resistant to selenium toxicity. The addition of 0.01% of arsanilic acid to the selenized ration resulted in increased growth rate, increased feed consumption, improved feed efficiency and a reduction in visible selenium poisoning symptoms. The greatest benefit from arsanilic acid was noted in the pigs from dams fed non-selenized rations and the least response in those from dams fed selenized rations.