# Assessment of maternal-offspring selenium transfer in ewes and newborn lambs via serum, whole blood, and wool matrices

## TL;DR

This study shows that whole blood is a better way to measure selenium transfer from ewes to their newborn lambs compared to serum or wool.

## Contribution

The study identifies whole blood as a more reliable matrix for evaluating maternal-offspring selenium transfer in sheep.

## Key findings

- Whole blood and serum selenium levels are consistently correlated within individual ewes and lambs.
- A significant maternal-offspring correlation was found only in whole blood selenium concentrations.
- Wool samples did not show significant maternal-offspring selenium correlations.

## Abstract

•Selenium concentrations in whole blood, serum, and wool were analyzed for intra-individual consistency and for pairwise correlations between each ewe and her lamb.•Whole blood and serum selenium levels showed significant intra-group correlations in both ewes and lambs.•A significant maternal–offspring correlation was detected in whole blood selenium concentrations, but not in serum or wool.•Whole blood and serum are suitable for assessing individual selenium status, with whole blood being more reliable for maternal–offspring evaluation.

Selenium concentrations in whole blood, serum, and wool were analyzed for intra-individual consistency and for pairwise correlations between each ewe and her lamb.

Whole blood and serum selenium levels showed significant intra-group correlations in both ewes and lambs.

A significant maternal–offspring correlation was detected in whole blood selenium concentrations, but not in serum or wool.

Whole blood and serum are suitable for assessing individual selenium status, with whole blood being more reliable for maternal–offspring evaluation.

Selenium (Se) is an essential micronutrient required by almost all organisms. Disorders associated with Se deficiency can occur in various animal species, but they are more common in ruminants, especially small ruminants. This study had two main objectives: first, to investigate whether there is a correlation between whole blood, serum, and wool Se levels in sheep and lambs individually; and second, to examine the relationship between Se levels in these matrices between ewes and their newborn lambs. Wool samples were collected from the sulcus jugularis region using a razor blade, and blood samples were obtained via jugular venipuncture from 18 ewes and their 18 colostrum-fed lambs aged 12 to 72 h. Significant correlations were found between serum and whole blood Se levels within both ewes (r = 0.72, p < 0.01) and lambs (r = 0.69, p < 0.01), indicating internal consistency within each group. Se concentrations in whole blood, serum, and wool samples were similar between ewes and lambs, with no statistically significant differences observed in any matrix (p > 0.05). While Se concentrations in whole blood showed a significant correlation between ewes and lambs (r = 0.65, p < 0.01), no such correlation was observed in serum or wool samples. These findings suggest that both whole blood and serum are suitable for assessing individual Se status in sheep and lambs, whereas whole blood may serve as a more reliable matrix for evaluating maternal-offspring Se transfer.