Barium selenate injections in cattle: effects on selenium concentrations in plasma and liver and residues at site of injection

Abstract

Twenty Angus cross heifers were fed a complete diet which contained 0.07 mg selenium/kg dry matter. Thirteen were injected subcutaneously with barium selenate at a dose rate of approximately 1 mg selenium/kg bodyweight and seven remained untreated. All the heifers were slaughtered during the following 121 days, the last of the treated group 119 days after injection. Glutathione peroxidase activity in blood increased within four weeks of administration and remained high thereafter. The selenium dependent glutathione peroxidase activity did not increase in liver kidney or muscle. The concentrations of selenium in the blood, liver and muscle were increased significantly from 30 days until 119 days. Between 76 and 99 per cent of the selenium injected remained at the site of injection.

Barium selenate supplementation and its effect on intramammary infection in pasture-based dairy cows

“…Aqueous solutions for oral use (drenches), intramuscular or subcutaneous injections, and ruminal pellets have been used to provide supplemental Se to pastured animals (MacPherson and Chalmers, 1984). A single injection of barium selenate, a source allowed by the European Union for use in cattle (EMEA, 1999), provides long-duration supplementation in ruminants (Mallinson et al, 1985). An injectable depot product is clearly useful in pasture-based cattle, as only a single administration per lactation is required, ideally before calving, and does not depend on feeding a Se-fortified concentrate ration.…”

Depot injection of barium selenate for long‐term prevention of selenium inadequacy in beef cattle

“…Swelling at the injection site was observed in less than one‐third of the treated animals and the swellings were only apparent in two animals 92 days after treatment. Swelling as a result of subcutaneous injections of BaSe have been observed in cattle 10,11 and deer, 12 but not in sheep (unpublished observations).…”

Seasonal Variation of Selenium Status of Norwegian Dairy Cows and Effects of Selenium Supplementation

“…The effect of barium selenate injections on blood selenium levels was not as pronounced as in sheep, in which the corresponding doses of selenium resulted in blood levels above 0.30 µg Se/ml (@vernes et al 1985). In a similar experiment with barium selenate injections to heifers, Mallinson et al (1985) found an increase in plasma selenium from 0.04 µg/ml to 0.08, corresponding to about 0.06 to 0.15 µg Se/ml in whole blood (Ropstad et al 1987).…”