Enlighten me please - what is Bo-Se? The only thing I give my ewes prior to lambing is 5-in-1 and that is for the benefit of the yet-to-be-born lamb.

Cheers,
Ronnie

 

Enlighten me please - what is Bo-Se? The only thing I give my ewes prior to lambing is 5-in-1 and that is for the benefit of the yet-to-be-born lamb.

Cheers,
Ronnie

http://www.valleyvet.com/ct_detail.html?PGGUID=30e079f3-7b6a-11d5-a192-00b0d0204ae5

Ive never used it. The "goat" pellets I give my sheep has selenium added, as do the minerals I give them. I think many people over medicate based on "suggestions" without waiting to see if there is really a problem.

 

Well, I give it twice a year on the suggestion of the small-ruminent teaching vets at the vet school. I give it normally pre-breeding and post-parturition. I was just wondering about all the folks who are giving something to a pregnant ewe that my bottle says not to give. Are there various types of Bo-Se selenium supplements out there? Or is it just the one?

Meg

 

Most soils are lacking selenium, so the crops grown on those soils are deficient in selenium. I always gave my mares E-Se, prior to foaling. It provides this essential element to the colt and provides a noticable improvement in leg/tendon strength. If your label says no, then follow that, but I'd at least have mineral salt with selenium and selenium added to their ground feed.

 

We give bo-se in the first 24 hours after birth to the lambs. Also give a month prior to breeding to ewes.

 

WHITE MUSCLE DISEASE
Cause
a. Not every stiff or weak lamb is affected with WMD...differentiate from other conditions:
· Vibriosis
· Polyarthritis
· Enterotoxemia
· Rickets
b. Mortality rate is high in lambs born with WMD.
c. The delayed (or acquired type) may be corrected more easily. This type has nutritional basis
(Selenium-vitamin E deficiency) and is often triggered by vigorous exercise. Lambs affected by WMD
· move slowly...are in pain
· their backs are arched
· may be down, as paralyzed
· may not nurse and starve out
e. When the heart muscle is severely damaged, death may be sudden.

Treatment
a. Affected lambs should be given injections of sodium selenite -vitamin E. In aqueous solution such as Bo-Se, dosage: newborn lambs, lcc Bo-Se; lambs 2 weeks and older, 4cc of Bo-Se. Inject intramuscularly or subcutaneously.
b. Injection should be repeated every 12-14 days, but not to exceed 4 doses.
c. Maternal diet should be reevaluated. Recently cut, "good" hay (especially legumes) should provide a vitamin E source. If none is available, use Bo-Se or Mu-Se injections to provide ewes with Selenium and vitamin E.
d. The maternal ration may be supplemented with sodium selenite not to exceed 0.3 pp or available selenium.
e. Do not overdose with selenium, toxicity may occur.

Prevention
a. Dietary inclusion of recommended NRC levels selenium and vitamin E.
b. Areas or flocks with past experience of WMD may consider injecting pregnant ewes with selenium-vitamin E preparations at least 4-8 weeks prior to lambing. Use Bo-Se at the rate of a 1 1/2 cc/100 lb.
c. The incidence of WMD may be reduced by incorporating wheat and linseed oil meal in rations of pregnant ewes.
d. May feed pellets containing 5 mg selenium and 350 IU vitamin E before lambing. These pellets are manufactured commercially; follow label instructions.

Some information taken from North Dakota
Extension Guidesheet: "Common Diseases of Sheep"
http://www.case-agworld.com/cAw.LU.nutr.html

This seems to recommend giving it to pregnant ewes "when there has been a problem " with WMD. I wonder if some Vets dont suggest it just because its what theyve heard? Im not sure why they would suggest it when the label says not to.

 

We give it about a week after birth and then, especially in fast growing ram lambs, usually another 2-3 injections over the summer. I hit the ewe after she's lambed.

Truthfully I'm not sure if it does any good or not. On the other hand, I've never lost a lamb to white muscle or even had a sign of it, and I know farms that have.

 

Hmmmmm.....

I think that I will continue on the way I'm going. So far I have not had problems. I really just wanted to see if there was another formula that other people are giving. It doesn't appear that there is more than one type of Bo-Se, though.

I usually give it to young ones after 2 weeks (again, like my bottle says) but I did have one kid born with a leg joint that bent all different ways, and that one got the Bo-Se quickly. The joint straightened up, but I don't know if it was the Bo-Se or just time alone.

Since I'm considering adding some hair sheep to the Icelandics and L. Longwool, I guess I'll have to do more research. I know the primitives have different mineral requirements than the modern wooler, so I imagine there are going to be differences with the hair sheep, too. Just like the worm resistance.

Back to the books and the web, I guess.....

Thanks for all the comments. It's appreciated.
Meg

 

"Back to the books and the web, I guess....."

The more I think I know , the more I find out how little I know! LOL

 

"Back to the books and the web, I guess....."

The more I think I know , the more I find out how little I know! LOL

remnds me of a ditty we had in Jr high that basically told us to chuck the books and have fun!!!

The more you study, the more you learn
The more yu learn, the more you forget
the more you forget the less you know
the less you know , the more you need to study

So....


Why Study?

Yes, tthere are different type of B/Selenium supplements, and there are warnings about giving the cattle version of Bo-Se to goats due to the polio side effects of overdosing (some people don't know how to do the correct adjustments per pound- gives me a headache to even try! it is the B-faction that causes the issue in goats) Our local vets say the goat type is fine for the sheep-- just make sure you need it first. I have noticed, my sheep goes after the minerals on an irregular basis, and I do believe it has something to do with where the hay is coming from-- He goes after the minerals more when I buy local hay than when I buy from a farm in a neighboring county.(WAy different soil type)

 

My lambs will die of White Muscle Disease if I don't give Bo-Se. All of my dry cows get Mu-Se. The selenium really helps take care of retained placenta's and other problems. If I notice an animal is down on its pasterns or maybe dragging a foot, I give selenium immediately. I can not rely on feed with selenium. The FDA limit on the amount added to the feed is way too low for my animals. I am located in west central ohio.

 

There is an article in the Jan 07 edition of The Stockman Grassfarmer which states that research done at Ohio State and Penn State universities indicates that selenium administered before freshening and at dry-off can prevent mastitis in dairy cows. The article also recommends Vit A, D, & E at the same time.
The author is a retired organic vet.
Interesting article
Lisa at Somerhill
www.somerhillfarm.com