A review of selenium responsive diseases: A dissertation submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Bachelor of Agricultural Science with Honours at Lincoln College

Abstract

Until the discovery by Schwarz and Foltz (1957) that selenium added to the diet will prevent liver necrosis of rats, selenium was viewed solely as a material toxic to livestock. The significance of selenium to animal health in New Zealand is widely known, and indeed selenium responsive conditions have been reported in other areas of the world, including: U.S.A.(Muth et al 1958), Australia (Gardiner et al 1962), Scotland(Sharman 1954), Russia (Naumow 1955), Bulgaria (Natscheffet al 1963), Italy (Chiatti 1964), Canada (Schofield 1953),Japan (Goto and Fujimoto 1951), Egypt (Soliman et al 1964),South Africa (Blaxter 1962) and Norway (Slagsvold and LundLarsen 1934). There is also evidence to suggest that selenium may be an essential element in human nutrition. Thomson and Robinson (1980) have reviewed the literature concerning selenium in human heal th and disease, with emphasis on those aspects which are peculiar to New Zealand. The purpose of this paper is to review the literature concerning selenium responsive diseases in animals, with an emphasis on the factors affecting the "selenium economy" of grazing livestock.