Farm Animal Welfare

Cattle Selenium Deficiency and White Muscle Disease

Selenium deficiency causes white muscle disease in calves and lambs and has widespread welfare implications for cattle in deficient regions.

Key Facts

Selenium deficiency is common in cattle in many parts of the UK and northern Europe
White muscle disease causes muscular dystrophy and cardiac failure in young calves
Supplementation through injectable selenium or bolus prevents deficiency effectively
Subclinical deficiency impairs immune function and reproductive performance
Soil selenium levels vary widely and regional testing guides supplementation decisions

Welfare Considerations

Selenium deficiency causes preventable suffering in calves through muscle weakness, difficulty standing and nursing, and cardiac failure. Subclinical deficiency impairs immunity and reproduction, causing chronic reduced wellbeing across herds. Regional selenium status monitoring and targeted supplementation is a cost-effective welfare intervention with broad health benefits.

What You Can Do

Support selenium status monitoring in cattle herds
Advocate for soil and forage testing to guide supplementation decisions
Learn about selenium deficiency signs and prevention on farms