Why 2mg of Selenium?

Why Selenium is used.

  • Approximately 30% of pastures in New Zealand will not provide adequate Selenium intake for grazing livestock.
  • Selenium deficiency causes:
    • White Muscle Disease
    • Weaner ill-thrift
    • Lowered wool production
    • Ewe infertility
    • Scouring
    • Poor lamb growth rates.

Why 2mg is an optimum dose for lambs from tailing.

  • Lambs vary in age and weight at tailing, but trials show the majority of NZ lambs weigh in excess of 10kg by 4 weeks of age.1-2
  • The recommended dose rate for selenium supplementation from tailing is 0.1-0.2 mg Se/kg liveweight.3
  • The 2mg dose of selenium in Multine® B12 Selenised provides an optimum dose for all lambs 10-20kg in weight.4-6
  • 2mg of selenium is well tolerated, and has been used to protect tens of millions of NZ lambs at tailing with Lamb Vaccine Selenised, for over 50 years.

1 Muir et al (2003) Proceedings of the New Zealand Grassland Association 65: 61-63
2 Litherland et al (2000) Proceedings of the New Zealand Society of Animal Production 60: 55-57
3 Suttle , N.F and Underwood, E.J. (1999) The mineral nutrition of livestock. 3rd ed, 451-453
4 Grace, N.D. (2002) Proceedings of the New Zealand Society of Animal Production 62: 311-314
5 West D, Bruere N and Ridler A (2009). “The Sheep, Health, Disease and Production” textbook. p138
6 Beef and Lamb NZ Trace Element Nutrition of Sheep Fact Sheet March 2020

*Baron Audit Data, June 2021