DAIRY MANAGEMENT COLUMN
(Continued from Page A 27)
should be considered together,
supplementing the one usually
helps with deficiencies of the
other.
Selenium deficiencies in cattle,
sheep and goats result in de
generation of muscle (especially
the heart muscle), general stiff
ness. loss of hair, separation of
hoof tissue, liver and pancreas
damage, laying-down, death, mor
tality of newborn calves, interfer
ence with normal growth and re
production, retained placenta, im
paired immune function, slow
recovery from uterine and mam
mary infections, and increased
susceptibility to mastitis.
Research has shown that sup
plementation with selenium and
vitamin E can reduce —even pre
vent mastitis, because of their
essential rede in the mobilization
of leukocytes against pathogenic
invasions. In several studies, sup
plemented heifers had significant
ly fewer mastitis infections at
calving and during lactation, with
shorter duration of the infection
and lower somatic cell counts than
unsupplemented control heifers.
Cows fed supplementary selenium
at 6 milligram per day had more
rapid recovery from E. coli infec
tions.
Recommendations, therefore,
have been made for dry cows to
receive 3 milligrams selenium
plus 1,000 units of supplementary
vitamin E per day; milking cows
need 6 milligrams selenium and
300 to 500 units vitamin E per
day. Generally, selenium plus
vitamin E treatments (injections)
to dry animals that is, pregnant
animals has been considered
safe. Occasionally I hear of abor
tions in goats, so use caution.
Generally, forages are not good
sources of vitamin E because of
storage loss. Forages will also be
poor sources of selenium in the
northeast and mid-Atlantic reg-
c s
—-vii
GRAND VALLEY FORTIFIERS
INVITE YOU TO THE
KEYSTONE PORK EXPO
VISIT OUR BOOTH AND REGISTER TO WIN
A WAY PIG LITTER SCALE.
TmT
Vwv
ions, and in those states listed
above. In addition, only about 40
percent or less of fed selenium is
actually absorbed by cattle, be
cause of the interfering influence
of some digestive factors and in
gredients, especially calcium and
a few other minerals.
Therefore, it is necessary to
supplement with trace-miner
alized salt blocks or mineral self
feeders. with long-release rumen
boluses, with fortified concentrate
rations, or with intramuscular in
jections. Injections usually offer
only short-term benefit A popular
practice in recent years has been
the routine commercial fortifica
tion of concentrate rations at a rate
of 0.14 milligram per pound (0.3
parts per million), equivalent to
the normal daily needs of dairy
cattle with average concentrate in
take. This is a legal limit, accord
ing to the Food and Drug Admin
istration, and it is recognized that
selenium is toxic when taken in
excess.
The range between safe mini
mum and maximum contents of
other essential microelements in
feeding ration dry matter is, in
many cases, at least tenfold; for
example, iron, manganese, cop
per, zinc, iodine. In the case erf se
lenium, it is SO times that be
tween 0.04 S milligram and 2.27
milligram per pound.
Some years ago, the Food and
Drag Administration recognized
the legal supplementation limit of
concentrate rations at the rale of
0.045 milligram per pound, be
cause of the widespread selenium
deficiency in U.S. soils and the de
monstrated benefits in reproduc
tion and mammary health of dairy
animals. This limit was eventually
raised to the present 0.14 milli
gram per pound level for greater
(and still safe) preventative bene
fits.
So-called “white muscle” dis
ease, the best known selenium dis-
STOLTZFUS
FEED &
SUPPLY INC.
AND
FEBRUARY 11,1998
AT THE LEBANON VALLEY
EXPO CENTER
SEE US ABOUT YOUR
SWINE FEED NEEDS.
Rt. 411 mi. S. of Rt. 30,
P.O. Box 427, Gap, PA 17527
717-442-8280
order, can be cured by a supple
mentation of 0.045 milligram per
pound ration dry matter (0.1 puts
per million) selenium in the form
of sodium selenite. For long-term
treatment other than in feed or by
injection, the use of forestomach
heavy pellets, glass boluses, or os
motic pumps has become common
for ruminants in some countries,
especially Australia. In New Zea
land, where the soil is selenium
deficient, fertilizer amendment to
increase forage selenium levels
has led to acceptable animal
health. Sodium selcnate rather
than selenite is used, because if is
more readily available for plants.
Fertilizer application of selenium
eliminates the individual animal
treatment
In our knowledge of animal and
human nutrition, the subject of se
lenium is relative young, about 25
years old. We need much more re
search to understand better how
selenium functions in the human
body and in what amounts. When
farm-grown feeds are tested for
nutrients before formulating a
suitable dairy ration, no routine
analyses for selenium are in
cluded. Therefore, while we know
precisely how much our dairy ani
mals eat in protein or fiber or ener
gy, we do not know precisely what
Urey actually eat in terms of selen
ium.
Also, we do not know how
much selenium usually is excreted
‘z
-W
THJ
V
in milk, while we know very well
how much fat, protein, lactose, to
tal minerals, or even calcium or
phosphorus are in our milk. We
only know that we are supple
menting with a certain, presum
ably safe, amount of selenium
Pork Expo Feb. 11
NORTH CORNWALL (Leba
non Co) - The 20th annual
Keystone Pork Expo will be held
Feb. 11 at the Lebanon Valley
Expo Center at the Lebanon
Fairgrounds.
This year's meeting will fea
ture a trade show with more
than 40 exhibits, and education
al seminars for producers.
The Expo will once again
sponsor a "Pork Bowl" contest
and public speaking competition
for competing FFA and 4-H
members.
Greg Andrews, an attorney
from Grimes, lowa, will speak
on nuisance complaints and law
suits. Andrews represents
clients and coordinates the Pork
Producers Environmental Law
Education Network, a project
funded by the National Pork
Producers Council. He will
answer questions on nuisance
law, zoning, and environmental
regulation of the Pork Producers
Environmental Law Hotline. At
the Keystone Pork Expo,
Andrews will address legal
THE ONLY THING SHAKING
IS THE COMPETITION
Kubota's Cl rand L-Scnrs diesel tractors Four compact models u ith
to 17 F’TO horsepower Designed to take on any job that demands power
and mobility
Available in 2WD and 4WD, the Grand 1,-Senes features Kubota's
E FVCS diesel engines that run quiet u ith cleaner emissions
Operator friendly with power steering, tilt wheel and enclosed muffler
for greater visibility The roomy flat operator's deck is ISO-mounted to
greatly reduce vibration
The Grand L-Senes has a choice of transmissions, the fully synchro
nized main transmission with Synchro-Shuttle allowing shiftmg-on-the
go through the 4 mam geais or the GST (Glide Shift Transmission) which
allows shiftmg-on-thc-go through all 8 speeds, both run smoothly and
efficiently with the new larger diameter, larger capacity clutch
The Grand L-Senes powerful hydraulic system, independent rear FTO
and Vpoint hitch hook up to a wide range of quick-attach implements to
nrrnrwrr handle any job
(a I Kubota’s Grand L-Senes gives you
power, mobility and a smooth ride
/ y, ,V*-'
WE SHIP PARTS
UPS
LEBANON
777-940*2000
based on avenge feed intake data.
But what about those dairy ani
mals that eat more than the aver
age amounts of supplemental con
centrates? It will be important to
the income of our fanners to pay
renewed attention to this subject
issues, community relations,
how to avoid lawsuits, and
strategies producers should
develop if they are sued.
Doug Goodlander, Bureau of
Plant Industry, Pennsylvania
Department of Agriculture, will
provide highlights of the recent
ly implemented Nutrients
Management Act. Many live
stock producers had to comply
with the new regulations on Oct.
1,1997. For some farmers, there
are questions that remain
regarding the new law.
Lou Moore, Penn State pro
fessor of agricultural economics
and continuing Pork Expo
favorite, will be on hand to deliv
er his hog market outlook.
At 1:30 p.m., results of the
seventh annual Legislative
Activity Fund Auction will be
announced. This year, all items
will be sold by silent auction.
Keystone Pork Expo pro
grams will be available in mid-
January in most county exten
sion offices.
RACTORS & EQUIPMEI
Serving Central PA Since 1921 CA o L n F l o easing' LS
STORE HOURS
MONOAY-FRIDAY 7 30-5 00
SATURDAY 7 30-12 00
12 Locations
Kubota
, LANCASTER
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717-569-2180