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A Preliminary Study of Selenized Wool

University of Wyoming

Abstract

Twenty-eight range sheep owned by three sheepmen in the Medicine Bow and Rock River areas of Southern Wyoming were studied to determine whether selenium occurred in the wool fiber, and whether the harshness of these wools could be caused by this poison. The wool was from sheep grazed on known selenium areas. Blood and wool samples were taken in October and November and analyzed for selenium. The results indicated that no significant difference existed between blood selenium and wool selenium. Furthermore, no significant linear or curvilinear correlations could be found with blood selenium as the independent variable and wool selenium as the dependent variable. In this preliminary study, the range sheep in the test were left on the range throughout the test and complete control of the animals was impossible. The sheep were placed on a selenium-free range during January and remained there until after lambing and shearing in May when they were returned to their home range which was known to carry selenium in the soil and herbage. Prior to shearing, ten sheep were selected at random, and blood samples were taken to determine the selenium content after grazing on a selenium-free range and receiving a supplement consisting of cottonseed cake with a 40 percent protein content. There was a large decrease in blood selenium in these sheep compared to the first blood selenium samples taken in October. A chemical analysis was made which indicated that the more selenium in the body of the animal the slower the selenium left the body. A physical analysis of the wool indicated that selenium did not significantly affect the length of fiber, fiber thickness or fiber strength. The latter factor would indicate that the so-called harshness of wool is not directly associated with selenized wool if fiber strength is taken as the measure of harshness. Selenium content of the wool did have a highly significant correlation with the number of distorted fibers in the fleece.

¹ Ph.D. thesis in Wool Department. The writers wish to acknowledge help and suggestions by O. A. Beath of the Research Chemistry Department of the University of Wyoming.