Farm Animal Welfare

Sheep Selenium Deficiency and White Muscle Disease

Selenium deficiency causes white muscle disease in lambs, a painful and often fatal muscular condition that is preventable.

Key Facts

White muscle disease causes muscular degeneration in selenium-deficient lambs
Affected lambs show weakness, inability to stand and respiratory muscle failure in severe cases
Selenium and vitamin E work together and deficiency of either causes similar disease
UK soils are predominantly selenium-deficient requiring supplementation for sheep grazing them
Selenium supplementation must be carefully controlled as the margin between deficiency and toxicity is narrow

Welfare Considerations

White muscle disease causes severe suffering and preventable death in lambs from selenium-deficient areas. Strategic maternal supplementation before lambing and prompt treatment of affected lambs are the key welfare interventions.

What You Can Do

Test soil and pasture selenium levels on farms in potentially deficient areas
Administer appropriate selenium supplementation to ewes before lambing under veterinary guidance
Monitor lambs for weakness and seek immediate treatment if white muscle disease is suspected