Dietary Interrelationship of Cobalt and Selenium in Lambs

Abstract

The results from this experiment indicate that 6-wk.-old suckling lambs of ewes being fed alfalfa hay deficient in selenium have a significantly lower concentration of this element in their kidneys, hearts, livers, and skeletal muscles, than do lambs fed relatively “high” selenium alfalfa hay. There was no significant difference in selenium concentration in the tissues and organs of lambs showing WMD as compared with the lesionless “low” selenium-fed lambs. The cobalt concentration of these tissues appears unaffected by selenium intake, unless signs of WMD are observed when the cobalt concentration of the kidney is significantly lowered. A metabolic interrelationship between cobalt and selenium in the kidney as characaterized by incidence of WMD appears to exist in lambs.