RETENTION OF SELENIUM BY GROWING LAMBS

The retention of selenium by lambs deficient in vitamin E and selenium or deficient in selenium was estimated using labeled selenate. No differences were observed in the rate of excretion of selenium by the lambs, although there was a tendency for lambs receiving vitamin E to excrete more selenium during the first few days after administration. The liver of lambs given radioactive selenate retained more selenium than any other tissue studied. Selenium-75 in the tissues decreased with time, although red blood cells and wool increased during the first 4 to 8 weeks after ingestion of selenate and then decreased. Leg muscle retained only small amounts of selenium, and after 30 weeks less than 2% of the total selenium originated from the therapeutic dose. When lambs were fed increasing levels of selenium and/or vitamin E, dietary selenium significantly increased the total selenium in muscle and liver. Vitamin E significantly decreased the selenium content of the lamb muscle when 1.0 p.p.m. of selenium was present in the diet. © 1968, American Chemical Society. All rights reserved.