Two experiments were conducted to study the effect of supplemental selenium at levels of 0, .1, .2, or .4 mg/kg to a finishing beef cattle diet containing .08 mg/kg. In one experiment, an increase (P<.05) in gain was obtained from adding .1 mg selenium per kilogram. However, in a second experiment, no benefit was obtained from adding .1 mg/kg and supplemental levels of either .2 or .4 mg/kg resulted in a significant depression in rate of gain, indicating the range between sub-optimal and possible growth-depressing levels of dietary selenium for beef cattle may be quite narrow. Selenium levels in whole blood, serum or hair reflected levels of dietary selenium.
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