Farm Animal Welfare

Sheep White Muscle Disease Selenium Welfare

Selenium deficiency causes white muscle disease in lambs and selenium-responsive conditions in ewes, with welfare prevention through targeted supplementation.

Key Facts

White muscle disease causes muscular dystrophy in selenium-deficient lambs
Heart muscle involvement causes sudden death without prior signs
Selenium status varies dramatically between regions requiring local assessment
Injectable selenium provided to ewes pre-lambing protects neonatal lambs
Oral boluses provide sustained selenium release over 3-6 months

Welfare Considerations

White muscle disease causes progressive muscular weakness and sudden cardiac death in affected lambs - a significant preventable welfare event. Selenium deficiency also impairs immune function and reproductive performance in ewes. Regional selenium status assessment followed by targeted supplementation prevents these welfare problems at low cost.

What You Can Do

Assess regional selenium status before supplementation planning
Supplement ewes with selenium before lambing in known deficient areas
Monitor lamb selenium status through blood testing in affected flocks