Selenium bolus for ruminants

Details Selenium bolus for ruminants Selenium bolus for ruminants

2001-05-31

2002-07-09

Henley, III, Raymond (Department: 1614)

Drug, bio-affecting and body treating compositions

Preparations characterized by special physical form

Specially adapted for ruminant animal

C424S702000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06416782

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND
Certain trace minerals are essential nutrients for all animals, including cattle and other ruminants. See National Research Council: “Nutrient Requirements of Beef Cattle ”, Washington DC, Natl Acad Sci, p 62-64, 1996. Such trace minerals include selenium, iodine, manganese, chromium, cobalt, copper, and zinc. Selenium, for example, is essential for the function of a number of critical mammalian selenoproteins, including for example the antioxidant enzyme glutathione peroxidase. In cattle, the selenium requirements are between 0.1 and 0.5 parts per million (ppm) of the diet on a dry matter basis. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has set an allowable supplementation level at 0.3 parts per million (ppm) of the diet for selenium and a maximum allowable level of supplemental selenium at 3 milligrams (mg) selenium per head per day for cattle.
Typically in cattle, selenium status is evaluated by measuring the selenium concentration in whole blood. See Maas, Diagnosis and Management of Selenium-Responsive Diseases in Cattle, 1983,
Compend Contin Educ Pract Vet
5: S393-399; and Maas, The Correlation Between Serum Selenium and Blood Selenium in Cattle, 1992,
J Vet Diagn Invest
4: 48-52. In cattle, blood selenium concentrations between 0.1 ppm to 1.0 ppm are considered normal, concentrations between 0.04 ppm to 0.1 ppm are considered marginally deficient, and concentrations below 0.04 ppm are considered frankly deficient. Marginally deficient blood selenium concentrations are indicative of potential subclinical disease symptoms and deficient blood selenium concentrations are indicative of potential clinical disease states. Most normal ruminants have blood selenium concentrations between 0.1 ppm and 0.3 ppm, whether or not their feed has been supplemented.
Selenium deficiency is the most commonly diagnosed disease problem in beef cattle in California. See 1997 Annual Report California Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory System, pages 23-25, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis (June 1998). Previous University of California studies have shown that 65% of beef cattle in Northern California and 64% of beef cattle in Central and Southern California are Selenium deficient. See Williams, 1988, “A survey into selenium deficiency in cattle in Northern California. ” Master of Preventative Medicine Thesis. University of California, Davis. 55 pp; and Dunbar, 1988, “Preliminary Report on the Survey of Selenium Whole Blood Values of Beef Herds in Twelve Central and Coastal California Counties” pages 81-83 in
Selenium Contents in Animal and Human Food Crops Grown in California.
Cooperative Extension, University of California Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Publication 3330, Oakland, Calif. Both small and large ranching operations, which use pasture grazing on a continual basis, are affected by the grazing of cattle on selenium deficient ranch lands, which are prevalent in California and most other cattle producing states. National surveys by the USDA indicate that 63.6% of forage samples are deficient or marginal for selenium. “Trace mineral contents of harvested forages”, USDA:APHIS, NAHMS Survey, October, 1996. Thus, cattle relying on this selenium deficient forage would require some level of selenium supplementation. Additionally, 18.2% of cattle in the United States were selenium deficient despite supplementation or producer's knowledge of supplementation methods. “Blood selenium levels in the U.S. beef cow/calf herd.” USDA:APHIS, NAHMS Survey, October, 1996. In a survey of state veterinarians and state veterinary diagnostic laboratories, selenium-deficiency diseases were reported in 46 states and selenium deficiencies were reported to be an important livestock problem in 37 states. See, A. J. Edmondson, et al, “Survey of state veterinarians and state veterinary diagnostic laboratories for selenium deficiency and toxicosis in animals” Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association, Vol. 202 (6), pp. 865-872, 1993. Thus, selenium supplementation continues to be necessary for the health, welfare, and productivity of grazing cattle in the United States.
Selenium deficient cattle typically exhibit decreased weight gains, decreased feed efficiency, chronic diarrhea, nutritional myodegeneration (white muscle disease), increased spontaneous abortion rates, reproductive losses due to retained placenta, illthrift, decreased immune function and increased susceptibility to infectious diseases. See Maas, Diagnosis and Management of Selenium-Responsive Diseases in Cattle, 1983,
Compend Contin Educ Pract Vet
5: S393-S399. Cattle affected with trace mineral deficiencies, such as selenium deficiency, often have symptoms that mimic infectious or parasitic diseases and conditions such as diarrhea, lameness and illthrift. Commonly, animals with trace mineral deficiencies, such as selenium deficiency, are erroneously treated symptomatically by administration of antibiotics, parasiticides or other drugs that could leave residues in tissues.
Because of these conditions, the economic efficiency of raising cattle deficient in selenium or other trace minerals is decreased compared to raising cattle that are not deficient. For example, increased susceptibility to infectious diseases caused by lowered immune system function due to trace mineral deficiencies results in the increased use of antibiotics in animal health and production, which in turn has an adverse affect on profitability.
In the past, various methods have been used to increase the amount of trace minerals in animal diets. Animals confined in feeding operations such as poultry units, feedlots or dairies typically receive a formulated or mixed ration supplemented with the trace minerals required. Free ranging animals, those that graze on range lands, in foothill pastures, and on permanent pasture lands, for example, cannot obtain needed supplemental selenium or other trace minerals in this manner because it is cost prohibitive and impractical. Currently, salt-mineral mixes are employed to give grazing cattle supplemental dosages of selenium. The disadvantage to this approach is that it can often result in unpredictable and sporadic dosing, because the cattle can choose to ingest the mix, and also because of varying pasture conditions and varying climatic and seasonal conditions such as temperature and precipitation variations throughout the year. In addition, salt-mineral mixes are expensive due to labor costs and manufacturing costs.
Trace minerals have been administered to cattle by injection, but there are demonstrated limitations on the effectiveness of this method. For example, studies have shown that selenium administered by injection results in rapid increases in blood selenium concentration of very short duration, i.e., less than 45 days, and only partially meet the animals selenium nutrient requirements. See, Maas, et al, “Intramuscular selenium administration in selenium-deficient cattle.” Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine, vol. 7, pp.342-348, 1993.
Boluses are solid, ingredient release systems for oral administration in ruminants. The bolus remains in the gastrointestinal tract of the animal due to either its geometric shape or its density and mass. Boluses have been employed previously to deliver therapeutics, mineral supplements and a variety of other active ingredients to ruminants. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,765,837 issued Aug. 23, 1998 discloses a bolus for administration to a ruminant comprising a magnesium-based alloy and optionally trace elements including selenium up to 1% by weight. U.S. Pat. No. 4,044,119 issued Aug. 23, 1977 discloses an oral dosage medicinal composition for ruminants made by treating an admixture of milk solids and the medicament with an aldehydic agent to insolubilize the milk protein solids, granulating the product and compressing the granules under sufficient pressure to form a densified body having a specific gravity at least greater than about 1. U.S. Pat. No. 4,671,789 issued Jun. 9, 1987 discloses a controlled release composition f

Affiliated with

Also associated with

Rating

Selenium bolus for ruminants does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.

If you have personal experience with Selenium bolus for ruminants, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Selenium bolus for ruminants will most certainly appreciate the feedback.

Rate now

Comments { 0 }

Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2821763