Studies on serum selenium and tocopherol in white muscle disease of foal.

This research article explores the possible causes of White Muscle Disease (W.M.D.) in foals, and suggests that it could be due to a deficiency in their diet – specifically in tocopherol and selenium – during the late gestation period.

Study Overview

• This investigation focuses on understanding the cause of White Muscle Disease (W.M.D.) in foals and the potential correlation with the nutrients selenium and tocopherol. For this purpose, various parameters were measured including tocopherol and selenium concentrations in serum and glutathione peroxidase activities in blood.
• Samples were taken from a set of horses which included those suffering from W.M.D., foals sharing a stable with the affected horses, foals in stables without any affected horses, and the respective mares of all these foals.
• For comparative analysis, heavy-breed horses from Fukuoka Prefecture and Tokachi District were also examined.

Selenium Levels in Foals and Their Mothers

• The results showed that the serum selenium levels in all the tested foals were below 65 ppb, indicating deficiency in this nutrient.
• The mares of the affected foals were also found to have lower selenium levels compared to other tested mares.
• The study observed a strong correlation between serum selenium concentration and blood glutathione peroxidase activity (∼0.81).
• The selenium levels in the livers of the affected foals were also found to be lower compared to those that succumbed to other diseases.

Diet Analysis

• The diet that was supplied in the stables with affected foals was analysed and found to contain deficient levels of alpha-tocopherol and selenium, both critical nutrients.

Conclusions

• The significant findings of this study indicate that W.M.D. in foals may be due to nutritional muscular dystrophy caused by deficient levels of tocopherol and selenium.
• Notably, this study suggests that this deficiency originates from the foal’s mares during their late gestation period – implying that the diet of the mare is a contributing factor.