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LOW ALPHA‐TOCOPHEROL LEVELS IN LIVERS OF WEANER SHEEP WITH NUTRITIONAL MYOPATHY
Author(s) -
Steele P.,
Peet R. L.,
Skirrow S.,
Hopkinson W.,
Masters H. G.
Publication year - 1980
Publication title -
australian veterinary journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.382
H-Index - 59
eISSN - 1751-0813
pISSN - 0005-0423
DOI - 10.1111/j.1751-0813.1980.tb02580.x
Subject(s) - selenium , myopathy , outbreak , glutathione peroxidase , biology , zoology , grazing , alpha tocopherol , tocopherol , physiology , vitamin e , medicine , antioxidant , chemistry , biochemistry , catalase , ecology , organic chemistry , virology
SUMMARY Outbreaks of ovine weaner nutritional myopathy occurring in the southwest of Western Australia outside the recognised selenium‐responsive areas have been investigated. One hundred and five sheep died in 3 outbreaks following 5 months grazing cereal stubble paddocks. Liver selenium and glutathione peroxidase activities, measured as an index of biological availability of dietary selenium, indicated that the selenium status of the animals was probably adequate. A comparison of liver selenium and α‐tocopherol concentrations and glutathione peroxidase activity was made with both selenium supplemented sheep and sheep affected with selenium‐responsive nutritional myopathy. In all cases investigated in this study liver α‐tocopherol levels in affected animals were low and this may be important in the aetiology of this myopathy.