Abstract
The prophylactic effect of parentral administration of a single dose of Vitamin E–selenium preparation given to pregnant ewes during the last third of pregnancy for protection against nutritional muscular dystrophy (NMD) in their lambs was studied. Based on determination of serum muscle-specific enzymes in the lambs, it was found that administration of Vitamin E–selenium preparation to pregnant ewes from a flock with a known history of NMD was associated with a significant decrease in serum muscle-specific enzymes levels in their lambs when compared with those from non-treated dams in the same flock. It was also observed that serum muscle-specific enzyme levels in lambs from non-treated dams in the flock with a known history of NMD were significantly higher than those in lambs from non-treated dams in a flock with no history of NMD (control group). The serum creatine phosphokinase (CPK) level was significantly higher in lambs of treated dams as compared to lambs from the control group, but no significant differences were seen between the two groups of lambs for the other serum muscle-specific enzymes measured. No lambs from the treated group showed clinical signs of NMD up through the time of weaning. It is concluded that administration of Vitamin E–selenium preparation to pregnant ewes in a flock with a known history of NMD was effective in preventing NMD in their lambs.