Re: RE: Selenium problem

["Duncan Fletcher" <dfletche@gte.net>]

This may be based on government regs as much as on being conservative. There
is a regulatory limit on how much selenium can be added to feed and is not
based on animal health. A few years ago, selenium was considered a possible
carcingen. The burecrats had a problem. Don't want the animals pooping it
out into the environment. Can't add it to food animals and the animals can't
live without it. They fudged. More recent research indicates that selenium
is necessary for human health as well (but as adequate amounts exist in the
human diet, supplementation is not necessary) and that with the possible
exception of one compound, selenium is not carcinogenic. But the burecrats
haven't responded.

Duncan Fletcher
dfletche@gte.net


----- Original Message -----
From: Charles M. & Kathy Copeland <drmike@thegrid.net>

> Hi Julie,
[snip]
Remember that the
> recommended levels from the companies making the Se supplements are based
on
> the understanding that horses are getting normal amounts of Se in their
> daily hay ration.  There is a thin line from which Se is beneficial to
where
> Se is toxic so their recommendation will be conservative.
[snip]