[Determination of the selenium levels of the blood plasma in newborn calves--its significance from the clinical viewpoint].

In a collection of newborn calves including DRB, DSB and DFV breeds (n = 27) the plasma Selenium concentration was measured directly after parturition up until six weeks after parturition by means of neutron-activating analysis. Minimal Selenium concentration occurred on the fourth day. The values of the subsequent Selenium concentrations exceeded those immediately after parturition only slightly. The tested group could be divided into two subgroups, one of which consisted of calves with extremely low initial Selenium concentrations, whereas the animals in the others showed high levels immediately after parturition (0.019 +/- 0.004 micrograms/ml versus 0.046 +/- 0.010 micrograms/ml of plasma). The diagrams appeared to be parallel on two different levels. Nine out of 10 calves with low Selenium levels showed after parturition retarded development and/or suffered from various diseases whereas the other calves (n = 17) showed no signs of clinical disease nor alterations in the race-specific development throughout the testing period.