Calf Talk

July, 2006

Volume 12, No. 7

WHITE MUSCLE DISEASE AND THE IMPORTANCE OF SELENIUM

By: Russ Schnepper, D. V. M.

White muscle disease is a result of a selenium deficiency. It can occur in any animal that is stressed or fast growing. Muscle fibers and entire muscle bundles die. The dead, white muscle bundles give the disease its name. The muscles, especially the heart muscles, appear streaked or striated. If the lesions are in the heart muscle, it can result in a heart attack.

The affected heart causes the calf to huff and puff and look like it has pneumonia. However, treatments with antibiotics are not effective. All heart attacks do not result in death. If the calf is not hassled and selenium is injected, some will recover.

If the lesions are in the muscles that control the legs, the calf walks stiff legged. This is the chronic form of white muscle disease. It is more prevalent than sudden deaths. The calf continues to eat, but loses weight. The calf appears to “grow backwards.” Because the calf’s muscles are sore, it is reluctant to get up. Finally the calf gets weak enough it cannot stand. If stimulated to get up the calf will rise but will immediately fall down. Adult cows that have been treated for milk fever may develop white muscle disease. The cow will jump up, walk a short distance and lie back down, as her muscles are sore. I always give an injection of selenium and vitamin E to down cows.

Selenium is the key to prevention and treatment of white muscle disease. Selenium is very important for the immune system to function. With a selenium deficiency the immune system does not function well and the calf will not respond to vaccines nor Immunoboost. Likewise, antibiotics do not work, as the antibiotics slow the “bugs” down and the white blood cells have to gobble up the dying bacteria. The selenium deficient calf cannot clear the “bugs” from its body.

A calf born to a well nourished cow will have adequate selenium to start, but it needs a source by three weeks of age. Whole milk has practically no selenium. Milk replacers have selenium added. Beef calves nursing cows have to get their selenium from the forages and/or selenium mineral or injections.

The body requires Vitamin E to utilize selenium. The injectable selenium products all contain Vitamin E for proper utilization. A bottle of BoSe has the same amount of Vitamin E in the bottle as a bottle of MuSe. The selenium concentration is different. The dosage on the BoSe is 1 ml to 30 pounds of body weight, whereas the dosage on the MuSe is 1 ml to 200 pounds of body weight. I prefer you use BoSe on the young calf, as I feel the calf needs the extra Vitamin E the BoSe provides over the MuSe.

Be sure you use the best selenium for feed and/or mineral supplementation. The sodium selenite formula is not well absorbed. The newer organic seleniums that use selenium yeasts are much more effective. Calves being raised in selenium adequate areas still require supplemental selenium until they are consuming adequate amounts of feeds that were raised in the area.

BE CAREFUL! Too much selenium is toxic. Follow the selenium manufacturer’s bottle directions. Overdosing does not extend the effective life of selenium. Use the correct amounts.

Contact information for ordering information and questions about our products:

Schnepper International, Inc.

3210 County B, Platteville, WI 53818

608-348-6141, Fax: 608-348-6146