The effect of selenium supplementation before calving on early-lactation udder health in pastured dairy heifers

Abstract

Selenium (Se) deficiency has been associated with lowered resistance to mastitis in dairy cattle. However, little published data exists on the effect of Se supplementation before calving on udder health of pastured dairy heifers. Further, the relative efficacy of injectable barium selenate and oral organic Se for improving udder health in cows has not previously been tested. The objectives of this study were to determine the effects of precalving Se supplementation and type of supplementation on the blood activity of glutathione peroxidase and measures of udder health immediately after calving and during the first month of lactation in pastured dairy heifers. One hundred forty pregnant Chilean Holstein-Friesian heifers were fed a basal diet containing, on average, 0.15 mg of Se/kg of dry matter. One month before predicted calving, heifers were allocated to 1 of 3 groups. Group 1 (n=49) received no supplementary Se, group 2 (n=46) received a single subcutaneous injection of Se (1 mg/kg of live weight, as barium selenate), and group 3 (n=45) was fed Se yeast (3 mg/heifer/d until calving). Heifers supplemented with barium selenate had a higher glutathione peroxidase activity from 14 d in milk onwards. Selenium supplementation, irrespective of source, tended to reduce the prevalence of intramammary infection (IMI) and decrease the prevalence of quarters with high somatic cell count (SCC) at calving. Overall, Se supplementation did not result in a reduction of the incidence of new IMI or clinical mastitis or in decreased SCC during the balance of the first month of lactation. However, in pasture-based heifers injected with barium selenate before calving, and fed diets with 1.3 and 2.5 mg of Se/d precalving and during lactation, respectively, no cases of clinical mastitis were observed in the first month of lactation.

Selenium-Dependent Regulation of Oxidative Stress and Immunity in Periparturient Dairy Cattle

“…More recent studies confirmed that higher bulk tank Se concentrations were associated with a lower risk of being a Staphylococcus aureus -positive herd [45]. Moreover, Se supplementation of pastured dairy heifers and cows before calving reduced the prevalence of new intramammary infections and high SCC during early lactation [46, 47]. Se nutritional status is important to many reproductive functions of dairy cattle as well.…”

“…Several studies have shown a negative correlation that exists between whole blood GPX1 activity and bulk tank milk SCC [44, 76]. Higher blood GPX activity following Se supplementation also was correlated to reduced prevalence of new intramammary infections in pastured heifers [46]. Less is known concerning the role of other selenoproteins in bovine immune and inflammatory responses.…”

The importance of the oxidative status of dairy cattle in the periparturient period: revisiting antioxidant supplementation

“…Studies on Se supplementation alone showed that it tended to reduce the prevalence of intramammary infections and decrease the prevalence of quarters with high somatic cell count at calving (Ceballos‐Marquez et al., ). On another study, the authors failed to identify an association between the concentration of Se and the SCC at the level of bulk tanks, although they identified that higher bulk tank Se concentration was associated with a lower risk of being a Staphylococcus aureus positive herd (Ceballos‐Márquez et al., ).…”

A 100-Year Review: A century of dairy heifer research

“…However, supplementing vitamin E at 3,000 IU/d beginning 2 mo before calving increased blood, liver, milk, and follicular fluid levels of vitamin E in other reports (Bouwstra et al, 2008;Dobbelaar et al, 2010). In addition, Ceballos-Marquez et al (2010) found that supplementing Se to Chilean Holstein-Friesian heifers precalving via a single barium selenite injection or Se yeast at 3 mg/head daily for 45 d increased blood glutathione peroxidase activity and tended to reduce IMI and quarters with high SCC at calving. Kincaid et al (1997) fed weaned calves (6-12 wk of age) starter containing Zn at various concentrations from Zn-Met, Zn-Lys, or ZnO.…”