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Twenty-four conventionally reared pigs divided into 4 groups were fed a basic ration deficient in selenium. The following daily supplement of selenium was given per pig; Group 1: none, group 2: 0.2 mg, group 3: 0.4 mg and group 4: 0.8 mg. After 51 days all pigs were inoculated orally with a pure culture of Treponema hyodysenteriae, and subsequently observed for 26 days. Clinical signs of swine dysentery were seen in all 4 groups. Criteria such as morbidity rate, incubation time and weight gain showed that the non-supplemented pigs suffered more severely from swine dysentery than the supplemented ones. Best protection was found among the pigs given a daily supplement of 0.4 mg selenium, whereas a supplement of 0.8 mg had a negative influence on the resistance to swine dysentery. The results indicate that selenium plays a more complex role in mucosal defence mechanisms than hitherto anticipated.swine dysentery ; selenium s u p p l e m e n t a t i o n ; T rep 0 n e m a h y 0 d Ysen t e ria e.