Skip to main content
ARS Home » Plains Area » Grand Forks, North Dakota » Grand Forks Human Nutrition Research Center » Healthy Body Weight Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #112628
Title: FACTORS THAT INFLUENCE SELENIUM CONTENT OF BEEF

Author
item HINTZ, KORRY - UNIV OF NORTH DAKOTA
item LARDY, G - UNIV OF NORTH DAKOTA
item MARCHELLO, M - UNIV OF NORTH DAKOTA
item Finley, John

Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 3/28/2000
Publication Date: 5/1/2000
Citation: Hintz, K., Lardy, G.P., Marchello, M.J., Finley, J.W. 2000. Factors that influence selenium content of beef [abstract]. Presented at the Canadian Association of Laboratory Animal Science, Winnipgeg, Manitoba, Canada.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Selenium (Se) is an essential nutrient with multiple health benefits to humans. Beef provides a significant portion of dietary Se; but the Se content of beef is variable and a function of the animal's diet and geographic origin. To study Se accretion in beef, 16 steers (Avg. Initial wt. 374.4 +/- 33.7 kg) were used in a 2x2 factorial design. Factors studied were 1) Geographic origin of steers (seleniferous region or non- seleniferous region) and 2) Dietary Se concentration (11.9 mg Se/kg diet or .62 mg Se/kg diet). Diets were based on 50% alfalfa hay, 25% wheat, and 25% corn (DM basis). All Se supplied in the diet was from these ingredients (no Se supplements). A muscle biopsy was taken at the start of the trial. Steers were slaughtered after 14 weeks and edible carcass (round, sirloin, shoulder clod and ribeye) and organ samples were collected. Diets did not affect growth or feed intake. Signs of Se toxicity were not observed. Different cuts of meat had similar Se concentrations. Except for liver, Se in tissues and organs was increased by seleniferous background (P < .02), Se concentrations were increased in all samples by the high-Se diet (P < .001). These results demonstrate that cattle from high Se backgrounds fed high Se diets produce carcasses highest in Se; although there were no differences between initial (biopsy) and final muscle Se concentrations. Kidney Se was highest in animals from a low-Se background (P = .04), suggesting a lack of adaptation to the high Se diet.