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Canola grown on soils high in selenium or irrigated with water that's overloaded with this mineral may boost the health of livestock, and the environment, according to the Agricultural Research Service. Animals and people require small quantities of selenium to stay healthy. But in high amounts, it can become a toxic contaminant of soil and water. With further testing, canola plants used to remove excess selenium from soil or water might then be fed to farm animals to ensure they get enough of this essential nutrient. Right now, selenium deficiency is a major problem for livestock or wildlife in at least 37 states and costs beef, dairy, sheep and horse producers an estimated $545 million in losses every year. In a preliminary study, ARS scientists fed selenium-enriched canola hay to lambs and dairy cattle, then monitored levels in the blood, milk and other samples. The researchers used canola that was irrigated with high-selenium drainage water. Selenium content of the canola didn't exceed a safe level -- the equivalent of about a pinch of selenium per bale of hay, or 5 milligrams per kilogram of dry matter. All of the animals remained healthy throughout the study. The experiment was likely the first to use -- as an animal feed or supplement -- canola that had been grown to remove selenium from the soil. Follow up tests may determine whether this approach to enhancing the selenium content of livestock feed is a safe way to forestall selenium deficiency. |
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