WEBVTT

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Breaking free from the chains of the past Where

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truth moves faster than a Holstein calf No law

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waiting on some printed page We're charting new

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ground in the digital age From genomic codes

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to robot facts We cut through the noise, no hold

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them back not your daddy's dairy news tonight

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we're sparking Welcome to the Bullvine Podcast,

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where we challenge conventional dairy wisdom

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and deliver the cutting -edge insights that progressive

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producers need to stay ahead. I'm your host,

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bringing you bold analysis and evidence -based

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strategies that transform dairy operations from

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ordinary to exceptional. Today's episode tackles

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a hidden profit leak that's costing dairy producers

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hundreds of dollars per cow annually. We're diving

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deep into selenium supplementation strategy and

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why the approach your nutritionist recommended

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might be throwing money away while leaving your

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herd vulnerable to costly health problems. If

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you've ever wondered why some operations struggle

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with elevated somatic cell counts and reproductive

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failures despite using premium mineral programs,

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this episode will open your eyes to the uncomfortable

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truth about selenium yeast quality. and the game

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-changing research that's revolutionizing trace

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mineral nutrition. Let's get started. Welcome

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to The Deep Dive, the show where we really try

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to cut through the noise, you know, and get straight

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to the insights that actually impact your operation.

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Great to be diving in. And today we're kicking

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off with something that, well, it might just

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shake up how you think about your bottom line.

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Seriously. Go on. Imagine this hidden drain on

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your profits. A silent thief, maybe? Costing

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you hundreds of dollars per cow, often without

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you even realizing it. Okay, that sounds serious.

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We're talking about a figure that the latest

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Bullvine article flags, and it can easily blow

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past $700 per cow. Annually. $700. Oh, cow. Yeah.

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Just let that sink in for a second. $700. That's

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a number that definitely grabs your attention.

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And it points to, well, maybe a blind spot many

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producers have, even the ones who feel they're

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managing things pretty tightly. Absolutely. Because

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the latest research, it's telling a bit of a

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different story, isn't it? It really is. So today

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we're taking a deep dive into something pretty

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fundamental to herd health, but maybe surprisingly

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misunderstood. Selenium supplementation in dairy

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cows. Right. It's a staple. Everyone uses it.

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Exactly. It's not about if you use selenium.

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Pretty much every operation does. The critical

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question, and this is what that recent Bullvine

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article really hammers home, is how you use it.

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The how is key. Because, as we're about to unpack

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current strategies, the way many are doing it

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now, it might actually be bleeding your operation

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dry. So our mission today, really, is to arm

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you with the cutting edge research. Yeah. Challenge

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some of that conventional wisdom. Yeah. Let's

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unpack all the layers of this. We want to separate

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the real science from maybe just marketing claims,

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you know. And show you how to turn what might

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be a hidden cost right now. A big hidden cost.

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Into a very real competitive advantage for your

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farm. It's about optimizing, not just supplementing.

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And this isn't just like. academic theory. This

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is about your bottom line, your herd's health,

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their productivity. Real dollars and cents. Right.

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And making smarter evidence -based decisions

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right now, especially, you know, with the way

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the dairy economy is, it keeps throwing challenges

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at us. No doubt about that. The insights we're

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sharing today, they're pulled directly from that

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Bullvine article. It's really sparked some chatter,

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hasn't it? It definitely has. Got people talking.

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So yeah, these insights are pretty critical for

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anyone looking to really optimize their operation.

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Okay, let's get into it. Let's start by really

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unpacking that startling number, the one that

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immediately caught our eye in the bullvine piece,

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$700 per cow. Yeah, it's hard to ignore. It's

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a huge chunk of change, and it's tied directly,

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they say, to selenium deficiency. So what exactly

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makes up this hefty cost? How does not having

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enough selenium pile up like that financially?

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Well, that $700 figure, it's unfortunately not

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just pulled out of thin air. It comes from some

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pretty rigorous research, actually. Studies published

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in the Journal of Dairy Science, for instance.

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Okay. They meticulously quantify the economic

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hit from various health issues. And when we talk

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selenium deficiency, we're often talking about

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a whole cascade of related problems. Like what

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specifically? Okay, take mastitis. Super common,

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incredibly costly, right? Ugh. Yeah, every producer

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knows that pain. A single case can set you back

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anywhere from, say, $325 to $457. And that's

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not just the obvious stuff like antibiotics or

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vet bills. Right, there's more to it. You've

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got discarded milk, the extra labor for treatment,

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maybe even culling the cow eventually, and definitely

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a hit on her future production. It's a comprehensive

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blow to profitability. So mastitis alone is a

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massive drain. But the article points out the

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costs kind of compound, don't they? There's another

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big one contributing here. Exactly. Another significant

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cost, and one that's often tied to selenium status,

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is retained placenta, each case. That can cost

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as much as $389. Wow. Another big hit. And here's

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the thing. These aren't usually isolated incidents,

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right? When a cow is selenium deficient, her

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immune system is compromised. That makes her

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way more susceptible to a whole chain of issues.

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Like a domino effect. Precisely. She might have

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a retained placenta, okay? That then makes her

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prone to metritis, which then can mess with her

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fertility or lead to another bout of mastitis

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down the line. Okay, see how it adds up fast.

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The costs just accumulate because these complications

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cascade. So when you look at the total impact

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of multiple issues on one affected cow, Yeah,

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it's very easy for that total financial burden

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to shoot past $700. So it's the chain reaction,

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not just one thing. It's a compounding problem

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that just keeps costing you. Okay, so it's not

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just the initial disease. It's the downstream

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chaos that drives that number sky -high. And

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the core problem, as the Bullvine article identifies

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it, isn't just the deficiency itself, but how

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we're trying to fix it. It points out that a

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staggering 60 -80 % of the selenium in current

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supplements is basically wasted. Just gone. That's

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the kicker. That's money literally being flushed

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away, leading straight to those huge losses.

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Can you elaborate on that waste? How are producers

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accidentally throwing away so much of what they

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pay for? Yeah, this is where it gets a bit uncomfortable,

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maybe. Yeah. But it's crucial. The waste happens

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primarily at the absorption level. It's about

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bioavailability. Many traditional selenium supplements,

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especially the older inorganic forms like sodium

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selenite, while they have notoriously low bioavailability

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in ruminants. How low are we talking? Studies

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consistently show only about... 10 % to maybe

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30 % of that inorganic selenium actually gets

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absorbed and used by the cow. Only 10 % to 30

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%? Seriously? Seriously. The vast majority, often

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70 % to 90%, is either altered by the rumen microbes

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into a form the cow can't even use, or it just

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passes straight through the digestive system

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and out the back end, excreted. So if you're

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paying for, say, 100 units of selenium. You might

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only be getting the benefit of 10, 20, maybe

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30 of those units. The rest. You are quite literally

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flushing a huge chunk of your investment down

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the drain. Wow. Okay. And that just perpetuates

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the underlying deficiency that leads to those

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expensive health issues like mastitis and retained

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placentas we were just talking about. It's a

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documented economic reality, not just theory.

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Now, here's where it could get, yeah, maybe a

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bit uncomfortable for some listeners, because

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the Bullvine article, it really calls out the

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feed industry directly on this. What's this dirty

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secret they mention when it comes to selenium

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yeast? Because lots of producers think they're

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already using a better organic form, right? They

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think they've solved this. This is a really,

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really critical point the article brings up,

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and it's a direct result of what new analytical

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techniques have shown us. Okay, what's the secret?

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For a long time, selenium yeast was positioned

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as, you know, the gold standard, the organic,

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more bioavailable option compared to the inorganic

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stuff. And look, in principle, when it's made

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correctly, it can be very effective. But the

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dirty secret is the huge, often undisclosed variability

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in the active component within these commercial

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products. The active component, you mean? Selenomethionine.

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That's the key. It's the specific form of selenium

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that mimics natural amino acids. The cow's body

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is designed to absorb and use that form efficiently.

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Okay, so it fits the biological lock, so to speak.

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Exactly. Think of inorganic selenium, like trying

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to fit a square peg in a round hole. Selenomethionine

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is the perfectly shaped key. It's biologically

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native, optimized for uptake. So what's the range

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of this variability you mentioned? Are we talking

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small differences or is it something much more

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significant that would actually impact herd performance?

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Oh, it's drastic. And this is what hammers a

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producer's bottom line without them even knowing

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it. There's this advanced lab technique called

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speciation analysis. Sounds technical. It is,

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but think of it like forensic. science for your

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feed. It identifies the exact chemical forms

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of selenium in a supplement. And studies using

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this, published in livestock science journals,

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have shown the actual selenomyphanine content

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in commercial selenium yeast products. It varies

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wildly. How wild? We're talking levels as low

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as a shocking 18%. 18%. 18%, all the way up to

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maybe 71 .8%. That is a massive, unacceptable

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range for something supposed to deliver consistent

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nutrition. Wow. And what's the average then?

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The average across these studies was just 55

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.8 % selenomethionine. So on average, almost

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half isn't even the good stuff. Pretty much.

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And if it's not selenopethionine, what's the

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other half, roughly, that producers are paying

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for if it's not the really effective form? Crucially,

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the rest is often inactive elemental selenium.

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Inactive, meaning? Meaning it provides zero biological

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benefit to the cow. It might be in the product,

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it might show up on a general selenium test,

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but the cow just can't use it effectively. So

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it's just filler, nutritionally speaking. Essentially,

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yes. So when the Bullvine article says producers

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might unknowingly get as little as 18 % of the

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active ingredient they think they're buying,

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it's referring to those products at the bottom

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end of that quality spectrum. You pay for X amount

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of selenium, but only a tiny fraction is actually

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usable selenomethionine that helps your cows.

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Okay, this is huge. So the takeaway isn't just

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organic is better. It's not all organic selenium

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is created equal. Not even close. Precisely.

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You could be paying a premium price for a product

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that's barely better than the cheapest inorganic

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option because its actual selenomethionine content

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is so low. So you have to ask about the active

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ingredient, the verified selenomy and thionine

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content, not just the label. You absolutely have

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to. This inconsistency is a major issue. Producers

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are basically gambling on supplement quality

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without even knowing it. This raises a big question

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then, doesn't it? If so many farms are already

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using what they think are these premium organic

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selenium sources, why are they still struggling

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with high somatic cell counts with reproductive

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failures? The Bullvine article tackles this straight

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on. It does. It suggests there's a fundamental

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misunderstanding about what organic selenium

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even means and what it should deliver. Can you

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unpack that misunderstanding? What does the science

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really say about... Yeah, it's a critical misunderstanding,

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and it gets right to why some strategies just

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don't work as expected. The term organic selenium

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has become this broad category, right? But its

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actual effectiveness hangs entirely on its specific

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chemical form. When researchers, when nutritionists

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talk about genuinely effective organic selenium,

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they are almost always talking about selenomythin.

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That's the gold standard within the organic category.

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Is there a benchmark for how much selenomethionine

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should be in a quality product? Absolutely. According

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to solid research from places like the University

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of California, San Diego, a truly high -quality,

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genuine selenium yeast product should contain

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90 % or more of its total selenium in that selenomethionine

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form. 90%. That's the target. That's the benchmark.

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It's not arbitrary. It's what defines a truly

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bioavailable and effective organic source that

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will actually deliver the benefits you expect.

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Okay, 90%. So what do these independent analyses

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of commercial products actually on the market

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show? Are they hitting that mark consistently?

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Well, this is the problem. The answer is often

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allowed no. Really? Yeah. Independent analytical

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studies using those sophisticated techniques

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like high -performance liquid chromatography,

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HPLC. Right, the precision testing. Exactly.

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They consistently show that many commercial organic

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selenium yeast products routinely fail, often

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by a large margin, to meet that crucial 90 %

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selenomethionine standard. So the label says

00:13:36.070 --> 00:13:38.309
selenium yeast, but the reality inside the bag

00:13:38.309 --> 00:13:41.899
is very different. Often, yes. The analysis shows

00:13:41.899 --> 00:13:44.759
that while the product contains selenium, a significant

00:13:44.759 --> 00:13:48.679
chunk isn't in that highly usable selenomethionine

00:13:48.679 --> 00:13:52.039
form. It might be elemental selenium or other

00:13:52.039 --> 00:13:54.879
less useful organic forms that don't provide

00:13:54.879 --> 00:13:57.960
the same benefit. They just pass through. Which

00:13:57.960 --> 00:14:00.480
reinforces that inconsistency issue we just talked

00:14:00.480 --> 00:14:02.840
about. Totally. Producers buy something expecting

00:14:02.840 --> 00:14:06.059
high bioavailability, but the analytical truth

00:14:06.059 --> 00:14:09.460
often falls way short. And that directly leads

00:14:09.460 --> 00:14:11.759
to those persistent problems, the high sell counts,

00:14:11.879 --> 00:14:14.779
the repo issues, even when producers think they're

00:14:14.779 --> 00:14:17.120
using the best stuff. They're investing in a

00:14:17.120 --> 00:14:19.299
solution that simply isn't delivering its full

00:14:19.299 --> 00:14:21.580
promise. Because the quality isn't guaranteed

00:14:21.580 --> 00:14:24.960
or even known sometimes. Exactly. Due to inherent

00:14:24.960 --> 00:14:27.679
inconsistencies in the product itself. So what

00:14:27.679 --> 00:14:29.820
does all this mean for today's dairy cow? I mean,

00:14:29.840 --> 00:14:31.799
these animals are incredible performers now.

00:14:31.879 --> 00:14:33.940
The Bullvine article uses that analogy, comparing

00:14:33.940 --> 00:14:36.620
them to Formula One race cars. Yeah, I like that

00:14:36.620 --> 00:14:38.799
analogy. Can you elaborate on why that's so fitting?

00:14:38.879 --> 00:14:40.740
And what does it mean for their nutritional needs,

00:14:40.879 --> 00:14:43.139
especially for something like selenium? that

00:14:43.139 --> 00:14:45.779
formula one analogy is spot on it speaks directly

00:14:45.779 --> 00:14:49.100
to the sheer physiological reality of the modern

00:14:49.100 --> 00:14:53.039
dairy cow these animals are genetic marvels right

00:14:53.039 --> 00:14:55.559
yeah engineered for maximum performance pushing

00:14:55.559 --> 00:14:57.460
their metabolic capacity like almost no other

00:14:57.460 --> 00:14:59.919
creature the numbers are pretty staggering they

00:14:59.919 --> 00:15:03.409
are think about their intake processing 150,

00:15:03.929 --> 00:15:06.929
maybe 200 pounds of dry matter every single day.

00:15:07.029 --> 00:15:08.970
That's a mountain to feed needing digestion,

00:15:09.210 --> 00:15:11.850
absorption, metabolism. Just churning through

00:15:11.850 --> 00:15:14.129
it. And converting that into 100 pounds, sometimes

00:15:14.129 --> 00:15:17.669
more, of milk per day. That level of production

00:15:17.669 --> 00:15:20.210
demands an incredible metabolic engine running

00:15:20.210 --> 00:15:22.409
at full throttle. Constantly. That sounds like

00:15:22.409 --> 00:15:24.330
an immense amount of internal work, a constant

00:15:24.330 --> 00:15:26.889
high output state. So where does selenium fit

00:15:26.889 --> 00:15:29.070
into keeping that high performance engine running

00:15:29.070 --> 00:15:31.830
smoothly? Right. So this intense metabolic activity

00:15:31.830 --> 00:15:34.909
means their cells, particularly the mitochondria,

00:15:34.909 --> 00:15:38.210
the cellular powerhouses, generating all that

00:15:38.210 --> 00:15:41.570
energy. Yeah. Back to biology class. Yeah. They

00:15:41.570 --> 00:15:44.730
are working serious overtime. And when mitochondria

00:15:44.730 --> 00:15:46.950
convert nutrients to energy through normal cellular

00:15:46.950 --> 00:15:50.070
respiration, a natural byproduct is the generation

00:15:50.070 --> 00:15:52.830
of massive amounts of free radicals. Free radicals,

00:15:52.830 --> 00:15:55.289
those are the bad guys, right? Oxidative stress.

00:15:55.710 --> 00:15:58.830
Exactly. Highly reactive molecules. If they aren't

00:15:58.830 --> 00:16:01.090
neutralized, they damage everything. Cell membranes,

00:16:01.110 --> 00:16:04.230
proteins, even DNA. That damages oxidative stress,

00:16:04.409 --> 00:16:06.269
it impairs cell function, leads to inflammation,

00:16:06.570 --> 00:16:09.379
lowers immunity, hurts reproduction. Okay, so

00:16:09.379 --> 00:16:12.080
the harder the cow works, the more of these damaging

00:16:12.080 --> 00:16:14.759
byproducts she produces internally. Precisely.

00:16:14.759 --> 00:16:16.980
And this is where antioxidants like selenium

00:16:16.980 --> 00:16:19.940
become absolutely critical. Ah, the defense system.

00:16:20.120 --> 00:16:22.559
Yes. Selenium is a vital component of several

00:16:22.559 --> 00:16:25.960
key antioxidant enzymes. The most famous one

00:16:25.960 --> 00:16:29.559
is glutathione peroxidase, or GPX. GPX. Take

00:16:29.559 --> 00:16:31.970
a look. GPX is the cell's cleanup crew. It's

00:16:31.970 --> 00:16:34.110
constantly neutralizing those free radicals,

00:16:34.110 --> 00:16:36.730
protecting the cells from oxidative damage. Now,

00:16:36.750 --> 00:16:38.549
if that high -producing dairy cow, that Formula

00:16:38.549 --> 00:16:41.549
One car, doesn't have enough bioavailable selenium...

00:16:41.549 --> 00:16:43.610
The right kind, the usable kind. Her natural

00:16:43.610 --> 00:16:46.789
antioxidant defenses are severely weakened. She

00:16:46.789 --> 00:16:49.690
becomes highly vulnerable to that constant barrage

00:16:49.690 --> 00:16:52.509
of free radicals from her own metabolism, plus

00:16:52.509 --> 00:16:54.769
any environmental stressors. And that vulnerability

00:16:54.769 --> 00:16:57.169
shows up as... As exactly the problems we keep

00:16:57.169 --> 00:16:59.950
circling back to. higher somatic cell counts,

00:17:00.149 --> 00:17:03.049
weaker immune responses leading to more mastitis,

00:17:03.230 --> 00:17:05.569
mitritis, impaired reproductive performance.

00:17:05.930 --> 00:17:08.329
So providing the right form and the right amount

00:17:08.329 --> 00:17:10.829
of selenium isn't a luxury item. It's essential

00:17:10.829 --> 00:17:13.390
maintenance for the engine. It's a non -negotiable

00:17:13.390 --> 00:17:16.190
requirement for these elite athletes to perform

00:17:16.190 --> 00:17:19.170
optimally, stay healthy, and stick around in

00:17:19.170 --> 00:17:21.119
the herd. Okay, this isn't just theory, as you

00:17:21.119 --> 00:17:23.339
said. The Bullvine article backs this up with

00:17:23.339 --> 00:17:26.339
some really compelling real -world results. Let's

00:17:26.339 --> 00:17:28.539
unpack that landmark study they highlighted from

00:17:28.539 --> 00:17:31.680
Balatino Farm in Cremona, Italy. What did they

00:17:31.680 --> 00:17:33.940
actually do on that farm, and what were the results

00:17:33.940 --> 00:17:35.980
that should really make producers sit up and

00:17:35.980 --> 00:17:38.180
take notice? Yeah, this Italian study is a fantastic

00:17:38.180 --> 00:17:40.140
example because it demonstrates the tangible

00:17:40.140 --> 00:17:42.819
benefits in a real commercial dairy setting.

00:17:42.940 --> 00:17:45.119
It wasn't just a lab trial. Right, real cows,

00:17:45.319 --> 00:17:49.119
real farm. Exactly. The study... led by Mario

00:17:49.119 --> 00:17:52.740
Agavino from Alltech Italy, involved 100 Italian

00:17:52.740 --> 00:17:56.220
Holstein cows at Balatino Farm. They set up a

00:17:56.220 --> 00:17:58.319
careful comparison. How did they compare them?

00:17:58.500 --> 00:18:01.619
They had a control group, 48 cows, getting traditional

00:18:01.619 --> 00:18:04.079
sodium selenite, that's the first gen inorganic

00:18:04.079 --> 00:18:06.380
stuff we talked about. Then they had a treatment

00:18:06.380 --> 00:18:09.380
group, 52 cows, supplemented with a high -quality

00:18:09.380 --> 00:18:12.140
organic selenium yeast. specifically cellplex,

00:18:12.359 --> 00:18:14.980
known for its high bioavailability. Okay, so

00:18:14.980 --> 00:18:17.140
a direct head -to -head comparison. Yes, on the

00:18:17.140 --> 00:18:19.400
same farm, same management, over a sustained

00:18:19.400 --> 00:18:22.059
period. This allowed them to really see the real

00:18:22.059 --> 00:18:24.380
-world impact under commercial conditions. And

00:18:24.380 --> 00:18:26.880
what was the first, most immediate difference

00:18:26.880 --> 00:18:29.559
they saw? Something quantifiable. The most striking

00:18:29.559 --> 00:18:31.960
immediate result was in the milk itself. The

00:18:31.960 --> 00:18:34.359
selenium content in the milk doubled. Doubled.

00:18:34.500 --> 00:18:36.859
Doubled. Cows getting the organic selenium had

00:18:36.859 --> 00:18:39.940
milk selenium levels of 0 .058 milligrams per

00:18:39.940 --> 00:18:43.730
liter. The inorganic group, only 0 .029. Wow,

00:18:44.029 --> 00:18:45.849
that's a huge difference. What does that mean

00:18:45.849 --> 00:18:48.430
practically? Well, it's significant not just

00:18:48.430 --> 00:18:50.890
for the cow's own status, but potentially for

00:18:50.890 --> 00:18:53.609
the calf drinking that milk. And even for human

00:18:53.609 --> 00:18:56.029
consumers down the line, something we can touch

00:18:56.029 --> 00:18:58.730
on later with the One Health idea, better nutrition

00:18:58.730 --> 00:19:00.950
passing through. Okay, doubled milk selenium

00:19:00.950 --> 00:19:03.069
is impressive, but what about the things that

00:19:03.069 --> 00:19:06.059
hit the producer's pocketbook directly? Production,

00:19:06.059 --> 00:19:08.319
health. Right. Here's where it gets really compelling

00:19:08.319 --> 00:19:10.500
for the bottom line. The cows on the organic

00:19:10.500 --> 00:19:13.180
selenium produce significantly more milk. How

00:19:13.180 --> 00:19:17.099
much more? They average 37 .9 kilograms per day

00:19:17.099 --> 00:19:20.859
compared to 36 .5 kilograms for the control group.

00:19:21.119 --> 00:19:23.619
That's an increase of 1 .4 kilograms per cow

00:19:23.619 --> 00:19:26.279
per day. 1 .4 kilos. That's about three pounds,

00:19:26.380 --> 00:19:29.259
right? Just over three pounds, yeah. 3 .08 pounds

00:19:29.259 --> 00:19:31.900
per cow per day. More milk. That's meaningful

00:19:31.900 --> 00:19:34.420
yield. Definitely. And udder health. Somatic

00:19:34.420 --> 00:19:37.079
cells. Big improvement there, too. Somatic cell

00:19:37.079 --> 00:19:39.059
counts were significantly lower in the organic

00:19:39.059 --> 00:19:42.059
group, down to 272 ,000 cells per milliliter,

00:19:42.059 --> 00:19:44.839
compared to 320 ,000 in the control group. Okay,

00:19:44.859 --> 00:19:47.039
so healthier udders, less subclinical mastitis.

00:19:47.079 --> 00:19:50.000
Exactly. Less inflammation, fewer potential mastitis

00:19:50.000 --> 00:19:52.440
flare -ups, less discarded milk. Big savings

00:19:52.440 --> 00:19:54.819
there. And reproduction. That's always a huge

00:19:54.819 --> 00:19:57.819
factor in profitability and efficiency. What

00:19:57.819 --> 00:20:00.000
did the Italian study show there? This is maybe

00:20:00.000 --> 00:20:02.599
one of the most dramatic findings. The organic

00:20:02.599 --> 00:20:05.220
selenium group showed a massive improvement in

00:20:05.220 --> 00:20:08.519
reproductive performance. They hit an 83 % confirmed

00:20:08.519 --> 00:20:12.059
pregnancy rate. 83 % compared to what? Compared

00:20:12.059 --> 00:20:15.700
to only 67 % in the inorganic group. Wow, 67

00:20:15.700 --> 00:20:18.720
to 83%. That's huge for getting cows bred back.

00:20:18.900 --> 00:20:21.240
It's a game changer for calving intervals, replacement

00:20:21.240 --> 00:20:23.940
rates, all those drivers of profit. And they

00:20:23.940 --> 00:20:26.710
drill down into specifics too. Fewer retained

00:20:26.710 --> 00:20:29.730
placentas. Only six cases per 100 cows in the

00:20:29.730 --> 00:20:32.690
organic group versus 10 in the control. Days

00:20:32.690 --> 00:20:35.509
to confirm pregnancy were lower, 130 days versus

00:20:35.509 --> 00:20:39.109
139. And services per conception improved down

00:20:39.109 --> 00:20:42.769
to 1 .63 from 1 .81. So across the board, better

00:20:42.769 --> 00:20:45.029
reproductive efficiency. Every metric pointed

00:20:45.029 --> 00:20:47.049
towards a more efficient, more profitable reproductive

00:20:47.049 --> 00:20:49.329
cycle for the cows on the optimized selenium.

00:20:49.410 --> 00:20:51.539
Real money saved, real money earned. Okay, this

00:20:51.539 --> 00:20:53.240
is where, as they say, the rubber meets the road

00:20:53.240 --> 00:20:56.319
for producers listening. That 1 .4 kilogram increase

00:20:56.319 --> 00:20:59.259
in milk yield per day, you said about three pounds.

00:20:59.380 --> 00:21:01.500
What does that actually translate to in dollars

00:21:01.500 --> 00:21:03.700
and cents? The Bullvine article did the math,

00:21:03.819 --> 00:21:05.660
right? They did, and it really highlights the

00:21:05.660 --> 00:21:08.900
return on investment. That 1 .4 kilograms or

00:21:08.900 --> 00:21:14.900
3 .08 pounds of extra milk per cow per day. Okay,

00:21:14.980 --> 00:21:17.420
it might sound modest on its own. Yeah, per cow

00:21:17.420 --> 00:21:19.839
per day. But multiply it across the herd, across

00:21:19.839 --> 00:21:22.819
the year. It adds up incredibly fast. At current

00:21:22.819 --> 00:21:25.920
milk prices, that translates to roughly $1 .64

00:21:25.920 --> 00:21:29.910
in additional revenue per cow. Per day. 64 cents

00:21:29.910 --> 00:21:32.630
extra every day from just one cow. Precisely.

00:21:32.630 --> 00:21:35.210
Now, extrapolate that out. Over a full year for

00:21:35.210 --> 00:21:38.789
just one cow, that's an extra $234 in milk revenue.

00:21:39.609 --> 00:21:42.750
$234 per cow per year just from the extra milk.

00:21:42.930 --> 00:21:44.910
Yep. Now think about a typical herd size. Let's

00:21:44.910 --> 00:21:46.970
use a 100 -cow herd as an example. Okay. That

00:21:46.970 --> 00:21:49.730
single improvement in milk yield, just from optimizing

00:21:49.730 --> 00:21:51.750
the selenium source, that translates to a whopping

00:21:51.750 --> 00:21:54.869
$23 ,400 in additional annual revenue for that

00:21:54.869 --> 00:21:57.900
100 -cow herd. $23 ,000. just from switching

00:21:57.900 --> 00:22:00.400
the type of selenium. Just from that one component

00:22:00.400 --> 00:22:03.519
of the benefit, the extra milk yield. This isn't

00:22:03.519 --> 00:22:06.539
guesswork. It's direct, tangible evidence from

00:22:06.539 --> 00:22:09.500
that Italian farm study. It shows how a relatively

00:22:09.500 --> 00:22:12.000
small tweak in the mineral program can give a

00:22:12.000 --> 00:22:14.819
massive boost to profitability. Concrete proof

00:22:14.819 --> 00:22:18.210
of ROI. And it's not just an issue specific to

00:22:18.210 --> 00:22:20.930
Italy or one region, is it? The Bullvine article

00:22:20.930 --> 00:22:23.549
broadens the view, reminding us selenium deficiency

00:22:23.549 --> 00:22:26.630
is actually a global problem. What did that big

00:22:26.630 --> 00:22:28.730
meta -analysis they mentioned tell us about the

00:22:28.730 --> 00:22:30.309
scope? You're absolutely right. It's a worldwide

00:22:30.309 --> 00:22:32.630
challenge. It impacts soil, plants, animals,

00:22:32.829 --> 00:22:35.460
even human health. It's a big picture issue.

00:22:35.579 --> 00:22:37.880
The article references a really comprehensive

00:22:37.880 --> 00:22:39.619
meta -analysis. That's where they combine data

00:22:39.619 --> 00:22:42.180
from lots of individual studies. This one by

00:22:42.180 --> 00:22:44.099
Knowles and colleagues in the Journal of Dairy

00:22:44.099 --> 00:22:46.900
Science was huge. It looked at 42 different studies

00:22:46.900 --> 00:22:50.640
spanning three decades from 1977 to 2007 across

00:22:50.640 --> 00:22:53.259
multiple continents. Gave a real global snapshot.

00:22:53.599 --> 00:22:55.940
So what was the main takeaway from looking at

00:22:55.940 --> 00:22:58.240
all that data from all over the world over such

00:22:58.240 --> 00:23:00.720
a long time? The big overarching finding was

00:23:00.720 --> 00:23:03.920
pretty stark. Soils in many regions of the world,

00:23:04.220 --> 00:23:07.220
have a low C content, selenium content, yeah.

00:23:07.299 --> 00:23:09.299
Okay, so it starts with the ground itself being

00:23:09.299 --> 00:23:11.460
deficient. Exactly. It's a fundamental environmental

00:23:11.460 --> 00:23:14.480
factor. If the soil's low, the forages and crops

00:23:14.480 --> 00:23:17.200
grown on it are low in selenium too. Which means

00:23:17.200 --> 00:23:20.619
the animals eating those feeds. And even humans

00:23:20.619 --> 00:23:23.079
eating crops from those areas often don't get

00:23:23.079 --> 00:23:25.880
enough dietary selenium. It creates this widespread

00:23:25.880 --> 00:23:29.299
underlying deficiency right from the start. A

00:23:29.299 --> 00:23:31.299
soil problem becomes a feed problem, becomes

00:23:31.299 --> 00:23:33.779
an animal health problem. Did that meta -analysis

00:23:33.779 --> 00:23:35.960
look at different types of selenium supplements

00:23:35.960 --> 00:23:39.059
in different places? Did it show if certain forms

00:23:39.059 --> 00:23:41.819
work better globally? It did offer some insights

00:23:41.819 --> 00:23:45.000
there, showing geographical variations. For instance,

00:23:45.160 --> 00:23:47.700
it specifically noted that in the U .S., cows

00:23:47.700 --> 00:23:50.460
supplemented with selenium yeast showed significantly

00:23:50.460 --> 00:23:54.180
higher milk selenium levels, around 0 .37 micromoles

00:23:54.180 --> 00:23:56.700
per liter, compared to cows getting inorganic

00:23:56.700 --> 00:23:58.779
forms. So even across different environments,

00:23:58.960 --> 00:24:00.819
the organic yeast seemed to get more selenium

00:24:00.819 --> 00:24:02.910
into the milk. That's what this large analysis

00:24:02.910 --> 00:24:05.250
suggested, yeah? Yeah. It reinforces the argument

00:24:05.250 --> 00:24:07.789
for using those more bioavailable organic forms.

00:24:08.069 --> 00:24:11.170
Yeah. Even with regional soil differences, the

00:24:11.170 --> 00:24:13.970
form of selenium you supplement with really matters

00:24:13.970 --> 00:24:16.789
for getting it into the animal and, importantly,

00:24:16.970 --> 00:24:19.509
into the milk. And if the soil deficiency wasn't

00:24:19.509 --> 00:24:22.009
enough, the Bullvine article points to another

00:24:22.009 --> 00:24:24.549
modern farming practice that kind of makes things

00:24:24.549 --> 00:24:28.299
worse accidentally. The sulfur connection. It's

00:24:28.299 --> 00:24:30.400
the sulfur issue. How does modern agriculture,

00:24:30.619 --> 00:24:33.660
you know, unintentionally contribute to the selenium

00:24:33.660 --> 00:24:36.240
problem, almost working against us? Yeah, it's

00:24:36.240 --> 00:24:38.380
a classic case of unintended consequences, isn't

00:24:38.380 --> 00:24:41.019
it? Modern practices, especially using a lot

00:24:41.019 --> 00:24:42.700
of sulfur -containing fertilizers, which are

00:24:42.700 --> 00:24:44.619
common and important for other reasons, have

00:24:44.619 --> 00:24:47.339
inadvertently made selenium deficiency worse.

00:24:47.859 --> 00:24:51.380
Research confirms that sulfur and selenium basically

00:24:51.380 --> 00:24:53.859
compete for the same uptake pathways in plant

00:24:53.859 --> 00:24:56.400
roots. They use the same doorway into the plant.

00:24:56.599 --> 00:24:59.819
Pretty much. And because we apply sulfur fertilizers

00:24:59.819 --> 00:25:02.200
at much higher rates than the natural selenium

00:25:02.200 --> 00:25:05.839
levels typically found in soil, sulfur just consistently

00:25:05.839 --> 00:25:08.559
wins that biological race. The plant takes up

00:25:08.559 --> 00:25:11.319
more sulfur, leaving less room, less capacity.

00:25:12.200 --> 00:25:14.440
For selenium. So even if there's some selenium

00:25:14.440 --> 00:25:16.539
in the soil, the plant grabs the sulfur instead?

00:25:16.920 --> 00:25:20.019
Preferentially, yes. Which means lower selenium

00:25:20.019 --> 00:25:23.420
content in the forages and crops grown, which

00:25:23.420 --> 00:25:25.599
then means lower selenium intake for the cows

00:25:25.599 --> 00:25:27.779
eating that feed. It's the silent competition

00:25:27.779 --> 00:25:30.299
happening right at the root level that directly

00:25:30.299 --> 00:25:33.019
impacts our animal nutrition, makes supplementation

00:25:33.019 --> 00:25:34.980
even more critical. Okay, now here's a twist,

00:25:35.039 --> 00:25:36.900
something that might challenge what some listeners

00:25:36.900 --> 00:25:38.759
assume, and it's why we have to keep looking

00:25:38.759 --> 00:25:41.099
at the latest research, right? Always. Science

00:25:41.099 --> 00:25:43.700
evolves. The Bullbine article points to a very

00:25:43.700 --> 00:25:46.799
recent 2024 study, Cruikshank and colleagues,

00:25:47.099 --> 00:25:49.819
Journal of Dairy Science. It offered some surprising

00:25:49.819 --> 00:25:52.480
insights, apparently. What did they find? It

00:25:52.480 --> 00:25:54.359
sounds like it might muddy the waters a bit on

00:25:54.359 --> 00:25:57.839
organic versus inorganic. Yeah, this Cruikshank

00:25:57.839 --> 00:26:00.299
study from 2024 is fascinating because on the

00:26:00.299 --> 00:26:03.000
surface, it seems to contradict some of what

00:26:03.000 --> 00:26:04.890
we've been saying. At least in certain ways.

00:26:05.029 --> 00:26:08.069
How so? They studied multiparous Holstein cows.

00:26:08.309 --> 00:26:10.789
And their main finding was, and I'm quoting here,

00:26:11.150 --> 00:26:13.690
regardless of whether selenium came from organic

00:26:13.690 --> 00:26:17.069
or inorganic sources, it did not affect the cow's

00:26:17.069 --> 00:26:19.230
absorption of the mineral, their selenium levels,

00:26:19.430 --> 00:26:22.609
or their overall performance. Whoa. Okay, that

00:26:22.609 --> 00:26:24.609
does sound counterintuitive after everything

00:26:24.609 --> 00:26:27.009
about bioavailability in the Italian study showing

00:26:27.009 --> 00:26:30.480
big performance differences. If overall absorption

00:26:30.480 --> 00:26:32.680
and performance look similar in this specific

00:26:32.680 --> 00:26:34.980
study, what was the catch? There has to be a

00:26:34.980 --> 00:26:36.819
nuance here, right? There absolutely is a critical

00:26:36.819 --> 00:26:39.119
nuance. And the researchers themselves pointed

00:26:39.119 --> 00:26:41.720
it out. While overall absorption and maybe some

00:26:41.720 --> 00:26:43.660
performance metrics look similar in their trial,

00:26:43.799 --> 00:26:45.920
they saw a very important difference elsewhere.

00:26:46.119 --> 00:26:49.420
Which was? Organic selenium resulted in higher

00:26:49.420 --> 00:26:52.420
selenium levels in milk, with less being excreted

00:26:52.420 --> 00:26:55.549
through urine. Ah. Okay, so more going into the

00:26:55.549 --> 00:26:57.650
milk, less going out in the waste. Why is that

00:26:57.650 --> 00:26:59.930
distinction so important? For a couple of key

00:26:59.930 --> 00:27:02.769
reasons. First, higher selenium in the milk means

00:27:02.769 --> 00:27:06.049
a more nutrient -dense product. That ties back

00:27:06.049 --> 00:27:08.490
to the potential one health benefits for consumers

00:27:08.490 --> 00:27:11.829
or calves getting selenium in that highly bioavailable

00:27:11.829 --> 00:27:14.369
milk form. Right, the value -added aspect. Second,

00:27:14.549 --> 00:27:18.450
less excretion via urine means less mineral waste

00:27:18.450 --> 00:27:20.470
going into the environment. That's an efficiency

00:27:20.470 --> 00:27:24.259
and sustainability plus. Okay. So, rather than

00:27:24.259 --> 00:27:26.940
totally overturning the benefits of organic selenium,

00:27:27.039 --> 00:27:29.599
this study subtly highlights something else we

00:27:29.599 --> 00:27:32.460
discussed. The importance of product quality

00:27:32.460 --> 00:27:36.319
and consistency. How so? Well, it suggests that

00:27:36.319 --> 00:27:38.079
even in a study designed to find differences,

00:27:38.589 --> 00:27:41.329
If the specific organic product used wasn't perhaps

00:27:41.329 --> 00:27:43.670
optimally formulated or consistently high in

00:27:43.670 --> 00:27:46.390
selenomycinine, you might not see the full potential

00:27:46.390 --> 00:27:48.470
benefits manifest in all parameters measured.

00:27:48.650 --> 00:27:50.630
So it reinforces the idea that you need to be

00:27:50.630 --> 00:27:53.309
really picky about which organic product you

00:27:53.309 --> 00:27:56.069
choose. Exactly. It underscores that the potential

00:27:56.069 --> 00:27:59.490
of high -quality organic forms is superior, but

00:27:59.490 --> 00:28:02.170
producers still need proof of that quality. It's

00:28:02.170 --> 00:28:04.069
not just about the category. It's about the specific

00:28:04.069 --> 00:28:07.160
product's verified composition. Got it. Now,

00:28:07.220 --> 00:28:10.720
shifting gears, slightly but still highly relevant

00:28:10.720 --> 00:28:12.819
heat stress. It's a huge concern. It seems to

00:28:12.819 --> 00:28:14.799
be getting worse, right? Absolutely. Major issue

00:28:14.799 --> 00:28:17.160
globally. The Bullvine article highlighted some

00:28:17.160 --> 00:28:19.279
really compelling research on selenium's role

00:28:19.279 --> 00:28:24.880
here, specifically looking at a newer form, hydroxyselenomythinine,

00:28:24.920 --> 00:28:27.940
or HMCBA. What did that Journal of Dairy Science

00:28:27.940 --> 00:28:31.500
study find? How can this form help cows cope?

00:28:31.960 --> 00:28:34.859
Yeah, this HMCBA research is incredibly timely.

00:28:35.259 --> 00:28:37.880
Heat stress just wreaks havoc on dairy cows'

00:28:38.059 --> 00:28:40.039
health, welfare, milk production, everything.

00:28:40.279 --> 00:28:42.359
So this study was done in controlled environmental

00:28:42.359 --> 00:28:45.079
chambers. That let the researchers really induce

00:28:45.079 --> 00:28:47.380
consistent heat stress and compare apples to

00:28:47.380 --> 00:28:50.240
apples. They took mid -lactation Holsteins and

00:28:50.240 --> 00:28:53.250
compared standard inorganic selenium. sodium

00:28:53.250 --> 00:28:56.369
selenite, with supplementation using HMCBA. See

00:28:56.369 --> 00:28:58.569
which one helped the cows handle the heat better.

00:28:58.769 --> 00:29:00.710
Precisely. They wanted to see how the different

00:29:00.710 --> 00:29:02.890
forms affected the cow's ability to manage the

00:29:02.890 --> 00:29:04.849
physiological challenges of being overheated.

00:29:04.970 --> 00:29:07.769
And what did they find? Did HMCBA make a real

00:29:07.769 --> 00:29:10.279
measurable difference in resilience? The results

00:29:10.279 --> 00:29:12.799
were pretty powerful, yeah. Showed a clear advantage

00:29:12.799 --> 00:29:15.480
for HMCBA in mitigating those negative effects.

00:29:15.740 --> 00:29:19.000
The study found that HMCBA supplementation decreased

00:29:19.000 --> 00:29:21.799
some parameters of heat stress -induced oxidative

00:29:21.799 --> 00:29:25.180
stress. Ah, back to oxidative stress. Heat makes

00:29:25.180 --> 00:29:28.240
it worse. Dramatically worse. Heat ramps up free

00:29:28.240 --> 00:29:30.799
radical production like crazy. So finding something

00:29:30.799 --> 00:29:34.039
that combats that is huge. So what specific things

00:29:34.039 --> 00:29:37.849
improved with HMCBA? Okay, several key things.

00:29:38.009 --> 00:29:41.670
First, cows on HMCBA had higher selenium levels

00:29:41.670 --> 00:29:44.430
in both their blood serum and their milk during

00:29:44.430 --> 00:29:46.569
the heat stress period. So better absorption

00:29:46.569 --> 00:29:48.490
and retention when they needed it most. Exactly.

00:29:48.670 --> 00:29:51.970
Second, remember glutathione peroxidase, GPX,

00:29:52.089 --> 00:29:54.789
that key antioxidant enzyme. Cleanup crew, yeah.

00:29:54.930 --> 00:29:56.890
Its activity was maintained in the HMCBA group.

00:29:57.160 --> 00:29:59.859
In the control cows getting inorganic selenium,

00:30:00.019 --> 00:30:02.900
GPX activity actually declined under heat stress.

00:30:03.160 --> 00:30:05.460
So the H. emceeba cows kept their internal defense

00:30:05.460 --> 00:30:08.119
system running strong. Right. Third, H. emceeba

00:30:08.119 --> 00:30:10.140
led to an increased total antioxidant capacity

00:30:10.140 --> 00:30:13.480
overall. A stronger shield, basically. And finally,

00:30:13.579 --> 00:30:16.039
they saw decreased levels of oxidative stress

00:30:16.039 --> 00:30:18.779
markers. Things like melondialdehyde, hydrogen

00:30:18.779 --> 00:30:21.559
peroxide, nitric oxide. These are like the damage

00:30:21.559 --> 00:30:24.160
signals in the cells. Seeing them go down means

00:30:24.160 --> 00:30:27.490
significant protection. That sounds pretty comprehensive

00:30:27.490 --> 00:30:29.930
on the internal resilience front. Did they see

00:30:29.930 --> 00:30:32.190
any impact on milk production? Because that usually

00:30:32.190 --> 00:30:34.410
takes a nosedive in the heat. Yes. Importantly,

00:30:34.470 --> 00:30:38.069
they also saw a tendency for milk yield to increase

00:30:38.069 --> 00:30:40.750
in the HMCBA group compared to controls under

00:30:40.750 --> 00:30:43.809
heat stress. Although, interestingly, there was

00:30:43.809 --> 00:30:46.410
also a tendency for milk fat percentage to decrease

00:30:46.410 --> 00:30:49.210
slightly. Hmm. Okay. So maybe a slight composition

00:30:49.210 --> 00:30:52.049
shift, but potentially holding on to yield better.

00:30:52.519 --> 00:30:54.819
It suggests H and Seba help cows maintain that

00:30:54.819 --> 00:30:57.000
antioxidant function and sustain productivity

00:30:57.000 --> 00:30:59.500
under really tough conditions. Given climate

00:30:59.500 --> 00:31:02.079
trends, optimizing selenium, especially with

00:31:02.079 --> 00:31:04.400
these advanced forms like H and Seba, looks like

00:31:04.400 --> 00:31:06.339
a critical strategy for building heat resilience

00:31:06.339 --> 00:31:08.960
from the inside out. The Bullvine article uses

00:31:08.960 --> 00:31:12.000
this helpful framework, categorizing selenium

00:31:12.000 --> 00:31:14.559
supplements into generations. It really clarifies

00:31:14.559 --> 00:31:16.460
the evolution. Let's start with generation one.

00:31:16.579 --> 00:31:18.839
The article calls it obsolete, even though it's

00:31:18.839 --> 00:31:21.440
still widely used. What are its main limitations?

00:31:21.640 --> 00:31:24.059
Why is it considered so inefficient now? Generation

00:31:24.059 --> 00:31:27.259
1 is sodium selenite, the basic inorganic form.

00:31:27.559 --> 00:31:31.279
And yeah, obsolete sounds harsh, but from a bioavailability

00:31:31.279 --> 00:31:34.740
standpoint, in ruminants, it kind of is. Why?

00:31:34.920 --> 00:31:37.180
What's the core problem? Its primary limitation

00:31:37.180 --> 00:31:40.160
is just incredibly poor absorption. As we mentioned,

00:31:40.319 --> 00:31:43.500
studies consistently show cows only absorb maybe

00:31:43.500 --> 00:31:46.059
10 % to 30 % of the selenium from selenite. So

00:31:46.059 --> 00:31:49.059
70 -90 % is just... Wasted? Wasted. It's like

00:31:49.059 --> 00:31:51.539
trying to fill a leaky bucket. Why is it so poorly

00:31:51.539 --> 00:31:54.559
absorbed, specifically in ruminants? What happens

00:31:54.559 --> 00:31:56.960
inside the cow's system? It mainly happens in

00:31:56.960 --> 00:31:58.440
the rumen, that first big stomach compartment.

00:31:58.839 --> 00:32:01.339
The rumen microbes, the bacteria and protozoa

00:32:01.339 --> 00:32:03.980
in there, they rapidly reduce the inorganic selenite

00:32:03.980 --> 00:32:06.500
into an insoluble form. Basically, they change

00:32:06.500 --> 00:32:08.619
its chemical structure. And once it's insoluble?

00:32:08.740 --> 00:32:11.490
The cow can't absorb it. It just passes through

00:32:11.490 --> 00:32:13.349
the digestive tract and gets excreted in the

00:32:13.349 --> 00:32:16.329
manure. It provides very little actual biological

00:32:16.329 --> 00:32:18.809
benefit because it can't get into the bloodstream

00:32:18.809 --> 00:32:22.490
and tissues to be used in those important enzymes

00:32:22.490 --> 00:32:25.309
like GPX. So even if it's the cheapest per pound

00:32:25.309 --> 00:32:27.990
or per kilo on the label? It's often the most

00:32:27.990 --> 00:32:30.849
expensive when you calculate the cost per unit

00:32:30.849 --> 00:32:34.009
of effective usable selenium that the cow actually

00:32:34.009 --> 00:32:36.910
benefits from. It's a classic penny -wise, pound

00:32:36.910 --> 00:32:40.269
-foolish scenario. Okay, that's Gen 1. Moving

00:32:40.269 --> 00:32:44.160
to generation two, selenium yeast. This was hailed

00:32:44.160 --> 00:32:46.539
as the organic solution for a long time, a big

00:32:46.539 --> 00:32:49.339
step up. But the Bullvine article argues it has

00:32:49.339 --> 00:32:51.500
major quality control issues. What are these

00:32:51.500 --> 00:32:53.660
dirty secrets that better analysis has uncovered,

00:32:53.799 --> 00:32:56.059
even in products maybe seen as premium? Right.

00:32:56.119 --> 00:32:58.400
Generation 2 is selenium yeast. It definitely

00:32:58.400 --> 00:33:00.400
represented progress because the yeast organism

00:33:00.400 --> 00:33:03.539
itself converts inorganic selenium into organic

00:33:03.539 --> 00:33:06.720
forms, mainly that key player, selenomethionine,

00:33:06.839 --> 00:33:09.400
within its own cell structure. The concept is

00:33:09.400 --> 00:33:11.740
solid. But the execution can be highly variable.

00:33:11.900 --> 00:33:14.400
That's the dirty secret exposed by these advanced

00:33:14.400 --> 00:33:16.500
analytical methods, the speciation analysis we

00:33:16.500 --> 00:33:19.740
talked about. It revealed massive, frankly unacceptable

00:33:19.740 --> 00:33:22.619
inconsistencies in the quality of commercial

00:33:22.619 --> 00:33:25.180
selenium use products out there. Inconsistency

00:33:25.180 --> 00:33:28.200
in what specifically? In the actual amount of

00:33:28.200 --> 00:33:30.339
selenium present as selenomethionine. Remember,

00:33:30.420 --> 00:33:32.460
that's the highly bioavailable form we want.

00:33:32.579 --> 00:33:34.859
The analysis showed products on the market ranging

00:33:34.859 --> 00:33:38.710
from that low of 18 % selenomethionine all the

00:33:38.710 --> 00:33:41.529
way up to maybe 71 .8%. With an average around

00:33:41.529 --> 00:33:45.549
55%. Exactly. Meaning... On average, almost half

00:33:45.549 --> 00:33:47.869
the selenium in a typical selenium yeast product

00:33:47.869 --> 00:33:50.930
might not be in that optimal selenium ethionine

00:33:50.930 --> 00:33:53.769
form. So even paying for a supposedly premium

00:33:53.769 --> 00:33:56.329
organic source, producers might get a product

00:33:56.329 --> 00:33:58.690
where a huge chunk of the selenium is effectively

00:33:58.690 --> 00:34:01.329
unusable, or at least not optimal. Precisely.

00:34:01.329 --> 00:34:04.230
The rest is often that inactive elemental selenium

00:34:04.230 --> 00:34:07.190
or other less valuable organic forms. It just

00:34:07.190 --> 00:34:09.769
doesn't contribute much. So while some selenium

00:34:09.769 --> 00:34:11.829
yeast products are excellent and meet high standards,

00:34:12.050 --> 00:34:14.710
others are really unreliable. Very unreliable.

00:34:14.730 --> 00:34:17.590
A producer could pay a premium and unknowingly

00:34:17.590 --> 00:34:20.250
get something barely better than basic selenite

00:34:20.250 --> 00:34:22.869
because the actual selenomethylene content is

00:34:22.869 --> 00:34:25.949
so low. This lack of guaranteed quality control

00:34:25.949 --> 00:34:28.570
across the industry for this category is a huge

00:34:28.570 --> 00:34:31.309
problem. It directly impacts farm results and

00:34:31.309 --> 00:34:34.050
profitability, often completely invisibly to

00:34:34.050 --> 00:34:36.250
the producer. Okay, that leads us to generation

00:34:36.250 --> 00:34:39.489
three. The Bullvine article calls this the precision

00:34:39.489 --> 00:34:42.530
solution. Sounds like a significant leap forward,

00:34:42.650 --> 00:34:46.210
really targeted nutrition. What does recent research,

00:34:46.329 --> 00:34:48.630
like that brand new 2025 study they mentioned,

00:34:48.789 --> 00:34:51.289
tell us about these new reforms? Yeah, Generation

00:34:51.289 --> 00:34:53.980
3 really represents that next step. Precision

00:34:53.980 --> 00:34:56.079
trace mineral nutrition. These are typically

00:34:56.079 --> 00:34:58.199
things like chelated organic trace minerals.

00:34:58.460 --> 00:35:01.260
Chelated, meaning? It means the selenium is precisely

00:35:01.260 --> 00:35:03.800
bound, usually to specific amino acids. This

00:35:03.800 --> 00:35:06.380
chelation process creates a highly stable molecule

00:35:06.380 --> 00:35:08.260
that protects the selenium through the rumen,

00:35:08.300 --> 00:35:10.519
ensures maximum absorption in the intestine,

00:35:10.719 --> 00:35:13.159
and delivers it consistently. So protected delivery,

00:35:13.500 --> 00:35:16.960
better absorption. Exactly. The Bullvine article

00:35:16.960 --> 00:35:20.579
points to that very recent 2025 study in the

00:35:20.579 --> 00:35:23.789
journal Animals. It looks specifically at supplementing

00:35:23.789 --> 00:35:26.590
late lactation dairy cows with this type of advanced

00:35:26.590 --> 00:35:29.650
organic selenium, often in combination with other

00:35:29.650 --> 00:35:31.769
chelated minerals like zinc. And what did that

00:35:31.769 --> 00:35:34.829
2025 study find? Did it validate this precision

00:35:34.829 --> 00:35:37.130
solution idea, especially regarding immunity

00:35:37.130 --> 00:35:39.760
and antioxidant activity? It really did. The

00:35:39.760 --> 00:35:41.539
study concluded that supplementation of organic

00:35:41.539 --> 00:35:44.320
zinc and selenium in late lactation dairy cows

00:35:44.320 --> 00:35:47.440
in the form of chelated zinc amino acid and selenium

00:35:47.440 --> 00:35:50.159
amino acid complex had positive effects on immunity

00:35:50.159 --> 00:35:52.659
and antioxidant activity. Positive effects on

00:35:52.659 --> 00:35:54.860
immunity and antioxidant activity. Key areas.

00:35:55.099 --> 00:35:58.199
Absolutely. It shows that these next -gen forms,

00:35:58.460 --> 00:36:01.440
engineered for maximum bioavailability and stability,

00:36:01.800 --> 00:36:04.260
can directly enhance those critical systems,

00:36:04.380 --> 00:36:06.860
the immune response, the body's ability to fight

00:36:06.860 --> 00:36:09.670
oxidative stress. Unlike the variable quality

00:36:09.670 --> 00:36:12.610
gamble with some Gen2 products, these precision

00:36:12.610 --> 00:36:15.309
forms are designed for consistency. The goal

00:36:15.309 --> 00:36:17.369
is that every dollar spent delivers the maximum

00:36:17.369 --> 00:36:20.570
possible biological benefit. It truly marks a

00:36:20.570 --> 00:36:23.150
shift towards making selenium a reliable profit

00:36:23.150 --> 00:36:25.329
driver, not just a cost you hope is working.

00:36:25.800 --> 00:36:28.239
Okay, to really hammer home the value of upgrading,

00:36:28.559 --> 00:36:30.940
the Bullbine article circles back to that Italian

00:36:30.940 --> 00:36:33.719
Holstein study. It provides that concrete return

00:36:33.719 --> 00:36:36.079
on investment analysis that makes such a powerful

00:36:36.079 --> 00:36:38.559
case. Can you break down those verified numbers

00:36:38.559 --> 00:36:41.539
again? What was the actual tangible ROI for the

00:36:41.539 --> 00:36:43.159
producers who made the switch in that study?

00:36:43.460 --> 00:36:45.300
Yeah, this is where the theory gets the bank

00:36:45.300 --> 00:36:47.219
account, right? The Balatino Farm study didn't

00:36:47.219 --> 00:36:49.480
just observe better cows, they crunched the numbers

00:36:49.480 --> 00:36:51.920
meticulously. What was the cost versus the benefit?

00:36:52.329 --> 00:36:55.210
Okay, for their 100 -cow herd, the added cost

00:36:55.210 --> 00:36:57.650
of upgrading to the optimized organic selenium

00:36:57.650 --> 00:37:00.230
program using Cellplex was really quite modest,

00:37:00.409 --> 00:37:05.050
just 810 annually. 810 euros for the whole year

00:37:05.050 --> 00:37:08.590
for 100 cows, that's the extra investment. That's

00:37:08.590 --> 00:37:10.389
the extra investment. Seems pretty minimal in

00:37:10.389 --> 00:37:12.170
the grand scheme of running a dairy, right? Definitely.

00:37:12.289 --> 00:37:15.530
So what was the documented return on that 810?

00:37:15.969 --> 00:37:19.000
The documented benefits were remarkable. They

00:37:19.000 --> 00:37:23.360
calculated a total annual benefit of 7 ,380 girls

00:37:23.360 --> 00:37:27.280
for that same 100 cow herd. 7 ,000 euros back.

00:37:27.539 --> 00:37:31.659
7 ,380 F, so you subtract the 810 cost. The net

00:37:31.659 --> 00:37:35.719
benefit was a substantial $6 ,578 annually. Which

00:37:35.719 --> 00:37:38.420
is over $7 ,000 US dollars, roughly. Exactly.

00:37:38.519 --> 00:37:40.820
And that resulted in an extraordinary return

00:37:40.820 --> 00:37:43.599
on investment, an ROI of 9 to 1. 9 to 1 ROI.

00:37:43.820 --> 00:37:46.719
9 to 1. For every single euro they invested in

00:37:46.719 --> 00:37:48.900
that premium selenium, they got 9 euros back

00:37:48.900 --> 00:37:51.139
in documented benefits. That's phenomenal. You

00:37:51.139 --> 00:37:53.139
just don't see that kind of return on many farm

00:37:53.139 --> 00:37:56.219
inputs. $9 back for every $1 spent. That's...

00:37:56.219 --> 00:37:58.360
Wow. That's the verified power they're talking

00:37:58.360 --> 00:38:00.639
about. Verified game -changing power. Big...

00:38:00.650 --> 00:38:02.769
based on that specific strategy in that trial.

00:38:02.949 --> 00:38:05.570
And it wasn't just a vague financial gain, right?

00:38:05.650 --> 00:38:09.449
The study linked those returns to very specific,

00:38:09.570 --> 00:38:12.510
measurable improvements in the herd's performance.

00:38:12.789 --> 00:38:15.449
Can you quickly recap those? Where did that 7

00:38:15.449 --> 00:38:19.329
,388 euros in benefits actually come from? Absolutely.

00:38:19.550 --> 00:38:23.150
That 9 .1 ROI wasn't magic. It was built on concrete

00:38:23.150 --> 00:38:26.829
improvements. First, a huge chunk came from better

00:38:26.829 --> 00:38:29.780
reproductive efficiency. They documented nine

00:38:29.780 --> 00:38:33.119
fewer open days per cow per year. That alone

00:38:33.119 --> 00:38:36.639
was valued at €2 ,700 for the 100 cows. Fewer

00:38:36.639 --> 00:38:38.800
open days means faster pregnancies, less time

00:38:38.800 --> 00:38:41.019
not milking, bitter calving intervals. Huge efficiency

00:38:41.019 --> 00:38:43.719
gain. Massive. Second, the increased milk production

00:38:43.719 --> 00:38:46.280
we talked about. That consistent 1 .3 liters

00:38:46.280 --> 00:38:48.699
of about 1 .4 kilograms per day per cow increase

00:38:48.699 --> 00:38:52.199
added up to 4 ,680 in value for the herd over

00:38:52.199 --> 00:38:54.059
the year. That extra milk just keeps flowing.

00:38:54.320 --> 00:38:56.920
Okay, so repro and milk yield were the big drivers.

00:38:57.119 --> 00:38:59.639
They were huge, but there were others too. Significant

00:38:59.639 --> 00:39:01.780
reductions in costly health problems. Retained

00:39:01.780 --> 00:39:03.760
placentas were almost halved down from 10 cases

00:39:03.760 --> 00:39:06.699
per 100 cows to just 6. That means less vet intervention,

00:39:06.920 --> 00:39:09.400
less labor, fewer downstream repo issues. Plus,

00:39:09.639 --> 00:39:12.840
lower days to confirm pregnancy, 130 versus 139,

00:39:13.000 --> 00:39:16.139
and better services per conception, 1 .63 versus

00:39:16.139 --> 00:39:19.920
1 .81. All these factors combined create a healthier,

00:39:20.079 --> 00:39:22.880
more productive, and ultimately a much more profitable

00:39:22.880 --> 00:39:26.139
herd. This detailed breakdown really shows why

00:39:26.139 --> 00:39:28.800
upgrading selenium isn't just a cost. It's a

00:39:28.800 --> 00:39:30.960
high return investment. OK, so if the science

00:39:30.960 --> 00:39:33.599
is so clear and the economics are that compelling,

00:39:33.760 --> 00:39:36.480
I mean, nine to one ROI is incredible. Why isn't

00:39:36.480 --> 00:39:39.099
everyone already making the switch? The Bullvine

00:39:39.099 --> 00:39:41.239
article touches on some common hurdles, some

00:39:41.239 --> 00:39:43.059
implementation challenges. Let's start with the

00:39:43.059 --> 00:39:45.920
first one, cost perception. That feeling that

00:39:45.920 --> 00:39:48.559
premium selenium supplements are just too expensive.

00:39:48.619 --> 00:39:50.579
How do we tackle that? Yeah, it's a very common

00:39:50.579 --> 00:39:52.659
first reaction and understandable. You look at

00:39:52.659 --> 00:39:55.119
the price per bag or per ton. And yes, the third

00:39:55.119 --> 00:39:57.199
-gen precision products often cost two to three

00:39:57.199 --> 00:40:00.219
times more than basic inorganic selenite. Right,

00:40:00.280 --> 00:40:02.199
sticker shock. But this is where bioavailability

00:40:02.199 --> 00:40:04.519
flips the script. You're not just buying selenium.

00:40:04.539 --> 00:40:08.269
You're buying effective, usable selenium. Because

00:40:08.269 --> 00:40:10.869
these premium forms are absorbed so much better,

00:40:11.010 --> 00:40:13.550
delivery may be three to five times more effective

00:40:13.550 --> 00:40:16.429
selenium per dollar spent. Ah, so the cost per

00:40:16.429 --> 00:40:18.929
effective unit is actually much closer or even

00:40:18.929 --> 00:40:21.530
lower. Potentially much lower, yes. The initial

00:40:21.530 --> 00:40:24.349
higher unit cost gets rapidly offset by the actual

00:40:24.349 --> 00:40:26.610
biological value delivered. You have to think

00:40:26.610 --> 00:40:28.510
about the cost of the result, not just the cost

00:40:28.510 --> 00:40:30.480
of the ingredient. It's about net value, the

00:40:30.480 --> 00:40:32.619
true cost of getting the job done inside the

00:40:32.619 --> 00:40:34.820
cow. And the Bullvine article highlights that

00:40:34.820 --> 00:40:37.599
with Agovino's research again. Exactly. Mario

00:40:37.599 --> 00:40:40.699
Agovino's work powerfully showed that preventing

00:40:40.699 --> 00:40:43.840
just one single case of mastitis, which costs

00:40:43.840 --> 00:40:47.639
hundreds of dollars, remember. $325 to $457,

00:40:47.920 --> 00:40:50.579
yeah. That prevention can actually pay for the

00:40:50.579 --> 00:40:53.599
entire herd's annual premium selenium supplement

00:40:53.599 --> 00:40:57.119
program several times over. One case pays for

00:40:57.119 --> 00:40:59.539
the whole herd for a year. Potentially, yes,

00:40:59.579 --> 00:41:01.679
depending on herd size and the specific costs.

00:41:01.860 --> 00:41:04.980
But when you frame it like the cost of not preventing

00:41:04.980 --> 00:41:07.039
these issues versus the cost of the supplement,

00:41:07.280 --> 00:41:10.420
the idea that premium selenium is too expensive

00:41:10.420 --> 00:41:12.980
just evaporates. It's an investment that prevents

00:41:12.980 --> 00:41:16.199
much larger losses. Okay, that reframes the cost

00:41:16.199 --> 00:41:19.239
argument powerfully. Now, speaking of real -world

00:41:19.239 --> 00:41:22.440
application and quality, that 2024 Cruikshank

00:41:22.440 --> 00:41:25.449
study we discussed. It found similar performance

00:41:25.449 --> 00:41:28.929
in some areas despite using organic versus inorganic.

00:41:28.929 --> 00:41:31.369
How does that highlight the ongoing need for

00:41:31.369 --> 00:41:33.630
producers to be super careful about the specific

00:41:33.630 --> 00:41:36.090
product they choose, even within the organic

00:41:36.090 --> 00:41:38.670
category? That study is a great reminder that

00:41:38.670 --> 00:41:40.969
real -world results depend heavily on product

00:41:40.969 --> 00:41:44.039
quality. By showing similar results in some metrics,

00:41:44.139 --> 00:41:46.519
even when differences were expected, it really

00:41:46.519 --> 00:41:48.820
points a finger at the variability within commercial

00:41:48.820 --> 00:41:52.119
organic selenium products. Meaning? Meaning even

00:41:52.119 --> 00:41:54.460
if the potential for organic selenium is superior,

00:41:54.760 --> 00:41:57.199
if the specific product used in that trial or

00:41:57.199 --> 00:41:59.619
the one you buy isn't consistently high in that

00:41:59.619 --> 00:42:02.539
crucial bioavailable selenomethiani, well, you

00:42:02.539 --> 00:42:04.000
might not see all the benefits you're hoping

00:42:04.000 --> 00:42:06.800
for. So the study's results might reflect the

00:42:06.800 --> 00:42:08.980
specific products used as much as the categories

00:42:08.980 --> 00:42:12.079
themselves. It's certainly a possibility. It

00:42:12.079 --> 00:42:15.260
implicitly tells producers, simply buying anything

00:42:15.260 --> 00:42:19.119
labeled organic selenium isn't a guarantee. You

00:42:19.119 --> 00:42:22.320
absolutely must demand proof of the active ingredient

00:42:22.320 --> 00:42:25.739
content, the selenomefining level, and consistency

00:42:25.739 --> 00:42:28.519
data from your supplier. Don't just trust the

00:42:28.519 --> 00:42:31.380
label. Be an informed, critical buyer. Demand

00:42:31.380 --> 00:42:33.619
the data. Got it. And finally, on limitations,

00:42:33.860 --> 00:42:37.170
is selenium optimization a silver bullet? Or

00:42:37.170 --> 00:42:38.909
does it need careful balancing with everything

00:42:38.909 --> 00:42:40.630
else in the diet? Definitely not a silver bullet.

00:42:40.690 --> 00:42:42.789
That's crucial to understand. While selenium

00:42:42.789 --> 00:42:44.929
optimization is incredibly powerful, it's still

00:42:44.929 --> 00:42:47.349
just one piece of a complex nutritional puzzle.

00:42:47.570 --> 00:42:50.570
How so? Well, remember that 2025 Animals Journal

00:42:50.570 --> 00:42:53.250
study, while it showed positive effects on immunity

00:42:53.250 --> 00:42:56.610
and antioxidant status, it also noted that selenium

00:42:56.610 --> 00:42:59.170
supplementation induced a reduction in fat percentage

00:42:59.170 --> 00:43:02.130
and solids content showed a tendency to decrease.

00:43:02.590 --> 00:43:05.230
Ah, so potential trade -offs in milk components.

00:43:05.880 --> 00:43:07.920
Potentially, yes, or at least subtle shifts.

00:43:08.199 --> 00:43:11.239
It means selenium optimization needs to be integrated

00:43:11.239 --> 00:43:13.420
carefully within the entire nutritional program.

00:43:13.719 --> 00:43:16.179
You need to balance it with energy, protein,

00:43:16.340 --> 00:43:19.659
other minerals, vitamins. Everything has to work

00:43:19.659 --> 00:43:21.980
together. You can't just throw in more selenium

00:43:21.980 --> 00:43:24.480
and expect miracles if other parts of the ration

00:43:24.480 --> 00:43:27.579
are off. It's about strategic integration, not

00:43:27.579 --> 00:43:29.960
just adding one thing in isolation. Makes sense.

00:43:30.239 --> 00:43:33.219
Holistic approach. Now, we've focused heavily,

00:43:33.360 --> 00:43:36.139
and rightly so, on herd health and farm profitability.

00:43:36.579 --> 00:43:39.280
But the Bullvine article broadens the horizon

00:43:39.280 --> 00:43:41.880
to this concept called One Health. What's this

00:43:41.880 --> 00:43:44.000
bigger picture? What's the opportunity here for

00:43:44.000 --> 00:43:46.780
dairy producers that goes beyond their own farm

00:43:46.780 --> 00:43:48.960
gate? Yeah, the One Health idea is really important.

00:43:49.099 --> 00:43:51.019
It recognizes that the health of animals, people,

00:43:51.199 --> 00:43:53.440
and the environment are all linked. They influence

00:43:53.440 --> 00:43:56.260
each other. And selenium optimization is a perfect

00:43:56.260 --> 00:43:58.829
example of this principle in action. How does

00:43:58.829 --> 00:44:01.570
better selenium for cows connect to human health

00:44:01.570 --> 00:44:03.710
or the environment? Well, remember that meta

00:44:03.710 --> 00:44:06.130
-analysis by Knowles et al. It confirmed that

00:44:06.130 --> 00:44:08.929
using organic selenium could enhance the selenium

00:44:08.929 --> 00:44:11.150
content in milk. Right. We saw that in the Italian

00:44:11.150 --> 00:44:13.969
study, too. Doubled the milk say. Exactly. Providing

00:44:13.969 --> 00:44:16.710
potential benefits for consumers or calves and

00:44:16.710 --> 00:44:19.250
reducing environmental mineral waste. It's a

00:44:19.250 --> 00:44:21.789
win -win -win. So producers can actually create

00:44:21.789 --> 00:44:24.789
a milk product that offers more direct health

00:44:24.789 --> 00:44:27.230
benefits to the people drinking it. making it

00:44:27.230 --> 00:44:29.690
more valuable. That's precisely the opportunity.

00:44:29.869 --> 00:44:32.789
When you supplement cows with highly bioavailable

00:44:32.789 --> 00:44:36.369
organic selenium, it significantly boosts the

00:44:36.369 --> 00:44:39.469
selenium level in the milk. And crucially, it's

00:44:39.469 --> 00:44:42.690
mostly in that selenomethionine form bound within

00:44:42.690 --> 00:44:44.989
the milk proteins. And that form is good for

00:44:44.989 --> 00:44:47.630
humans. Highly bioavailable for humans. Studies

00:44:47.630 --> 00:44:51.230
show around 90 % absorption from milk. So consumers

00:44:51.230 --> 00:44:53.630
drinking that selenium -optimized milk get a

00:44:53.630 --> 00:44:56.349
direct usable dose of this essential nutrient.

00:44:56.730 --> 00:44:58.590
That sounds like a potentially powerful marketing

00:44:58.590 --> 00:45:00.590
angle in today's health -conscious market, a

00:45:00.590 --> 00:45:03.150
way to differentiate. It absolutely is. Think

00:45:03.150 --> 00:45:05.230
about functional foods, added nutritional benefits.

00:45:05.550 --> 00:45:08.210
Consumers are actively looking for that. If a

00:45:08.210 --> 00:45:10.050
dairy producer can scientifically demonstrate

00:45:10.050 --> 00:45:12.489
their milk offers enhanced levels of a vital

00:45:12.489 --> 00:45:14.769
nutrient like selenium. They have a unique story

00:45:14.769 --> 00:45:17.789
to tell. A unique selling proposition. It moves

00:45:17.789 --> 00:45:20.329
their milk beyond just a basic commodity towards

00:45:20.329 --> 00:45:23.159
a value -added product. It taps into that growing

00:45:23.159 --> 00:45:25.179
market segment focused on health and wellness.

00:45:25.539 --> 00:45:28.159
It could potentially justify a premium price

00:45:28.159 --> 00:45:31.000
all while benefiting the herd's health and reducing

00:45:31.000 --> 00:45:33.800
mineral waste. It's smart business thinking beyond

00:45:33.800 --> 00:45:36.239
the farm fence. Okay, let's get really practical

00:45:36.239 --> 00:45:39.380
now. The Bullvine article lays out a clear, actionable

00:45:39.380 --> 00:45:42.780
four -phase strategy, a roadmap for making the

00:45:42.780 --> 00:45:45.239
switch to an optimized selenium program without

00:45:45.239 --> 00:45:48.019
causing chaos on the farm. Let's walk through

00:45:48.019 --> 00:45:50.340
it step by step so listeners know exactly what

00:45:50.340 --> 00:45:52.639
their next strategic move could look like. Sounds

00:45:52.639 --> 00:45:55.440
good. It's a logical progression. Phase one is

00:45:55.440 --> 00:45:57.840
diagnostic assessment. This is month one. You

00:45:57.840 --> 00:45:59.820
got to start by knowing where you stand. Baseline

00:45:59.820 --> 00:46:02.039
testing. Exactly. Comprehensive herd testing

00:46:02.039 --> 00:46:04.059
using blood saline analysis. What are your current

00:46:04.059 --> 00:46:06.360
levels? The target for optimal status is generally

00:46:06.360 --> 00:46:09.559
considered above 8 ,100 micrograms per liter

00:46:09.559 --> 00:46:12.900
in plasma, ideally over 100. Why is this baseline

00:46:12.900 --> 00:46:15.519
so critical? Because you need to know your starting

00:46:15.519 --> 00:46:18.380
point to measure progress later. It confirms

00:46:18.380 --> 00:46:20.579
if there's even a need, and it validates the

00:46:20.579 --> 00:46:23.139
effectiveness of the changes you make. Plus,

00:46:23.219 --> 00:46:25.519
the cost is pretty reasonable, usually around

00:46:25.519 --> 00:46:28.480
$15 to $25 per blood sample. A small investment

00:46:28.480 --> 00:46:31.079
for vital data. Okay, phase one. Test and know

00:46:31.079 --> 00:46:33.760
your numbers. What's phase two? Phase two is

00:46:33.760 --> 00:46:36.920
critical product evaluation. This overlaps a

00:46:36.920 --> 00:46:38.940
bit, month one to two. This is where you put

00:46:38.940 --> 00:46:41.000
your supplier under the microscope. Become an

00:46:41.000 --> 00:46:44.300
informed buyer. Precisely. demand specific documentation

00:46:44.300 --> 00:46:47.659
as for the exact form of selenium, purity guarantees,

00:46:47.960 --> 00:46:50.500
and most importantly, analytical testing results.

00:46:51.079 --> 00:46:53.920
Specifically for selenium yeast, you must demand

00:46:53.920 --> 00:46:56.940
verification of the selenomethion content. And

00:46:56.940 --> 00:46:58.679
if they can't provide it? The Bullvine article

00:46:58.679 --> 00:47:01.940
puts it bluntly. If your supplier can't or won't

00:47:01.940 --> 00:47:04.099
provide clear, scientifically validated data

00:47:04.099 --> 00:47:06.920
on selenomethion content for their used product,

00:47:07.219 --> 00:47:09.099
well, that tells you everything you need to know

00:47:09.099 --> 00:47:11.420
about its quality and consistency. Big red flag.

00:47:11.880 --> 00:47:13.920
Don't accept vague answers. Demand the proof.

00:47:14.219 --> 00:47:17.099
Okay, powerful advice. So you've tested, you've

00:47:17.099 --> 00:47:19.539
evaluated, you've chosen a high -quality verified

00:47:19.539 --> 00:47:23.460
product. What's phase three? Phase three, strategic

00:47:23.460 --> 00:47:27.400
implementation. This is maybe month two to three.

00:47:27.519 --> 00:47:29.820
You don't necessarily need to switch the entire

00:47:29.820 --> 00:47:33.239
herd overnight. Target the change. Yes. The Italian

00:47:33.239 --> 00:47:36.039
research strongly suggests focusing your upgrade

00:47:36.039 --> 00:47:38.599
efforts on the most critical periods gives the

00:47:38.599 --> 00:47:41.760
highest ROI. That means prioritizing your dry

00:47:41.760 --> 00:47:44.579
cows and your early lactation cows. Why them

00:47:44.579 --> 00:47:46.579
specifically? Because that's when their immune

00:47:46.579 --> 00:47:48.800
systems are under the most pressure, when metabolic

00:47:48.800 --> 00:47:51.900
demands are peaking. Getting selenium right during

00:47:51.900 --> 00:47:54.579
transition and early lactation is absolutely

00:47:54.579 --> 00:47:57.599
vital for preventing those costly diseases and

00:47:57.599 --> 00:48:00.219
setting them up for a productive lactation. Target

00:48:00.219 --> 00:48:02.420
your investment where it counts most first. Smart.

00:48:02.579 --> 00:48:05.139
Maximize impact. Okay, phase four. You've implemented

00:48:05.139 --> 00:48:07.860
the change in those key groups. Now what? Phase

00:48:07.860 --> 00:48:09.969
four. Performance monitoring. This is ongoing,

00:48:10.150 --> 00:48:11.989
starting around month three to six and continuing.

00:48:12.269 --> 00:48:15.150
First, retest selenium status about 90 days after

00:48:15.150 --> 00:48:17.050
you implement the change. Confirm that blood

00:48:17.050 --> 00:48:19.190
levels are now consistently in that optimal range.

00:48:19.449 --> 00:48:21.929
Verify the change worked biochemically. Yes.

00:48:22.429 --> 00:48:25.170
But more importantly, you need to rigorously

00:48:25.170 --> 00:48:28.610
track your key performance indicators, your KPIs.

00:48:28.969 --> 00:48:31.630
Use that Italian study as your benchmark model.

00:48:31.889 --> 00:48:35.110
What KPIs should producers focus on? Look at

00:48:35.110 --> 00:48:37.690
somatic cell count trends. Are you seeing that

00:48:37.690 --> 00:48:41.170
reduction? Aiming for that drop from, say, 320

00:48:41.170 --> 00:48:45.150
,000 down towards 272 ,000 like they saw. Monitor

00:48:45.150 --> 00:48:47.650
milk yield. Are you seeing that 1 .4 kilogram

00:48:47.650 --> 00:48:50.670
or 3 pound increase per day? And critically,

00:48:50.829 --> 00:48:53.269
track reproductive metrics. Is your confirmed

00:48:53.269 --> 00:48:55.690
pregnancy rate climbing towards that 83 % mark?

00:48:55.849 --> 00:48:58.880
Are days open decreasing? Services per conception

00:48:58.880 --> 00:49:01.679
improving. So track the actual outcomes that

00:49:01.679 --> 00:49:04.099
prove the economic benefit. Exactly. These are

00:49:04.099 --> 00:49:05.980
the direct measurable results that confirm your

00:49:05.980 --> 00:49:07.840
strategic upgrade is working and delivering that

00:49:07.840 --> 00:49:10.659
ROI. This structured phased approach makes the

00:49:10.659 --> 00:49:13.179
transition manageable and the results undeniable

00:49:13.179 --> 00:49:15.260
on your bottom line. So let's bring it all together.

00:49:15.440 --> 00:49:17.860
Remember that $700 per cow figure we started

00:49:17.860 --> 00:49:20.159
with? Hard to forget. The Bullvine article really

00:49:20.159 --> 00:49:22.059
drives home that even that might underestimate

00:49:22.059 --> 00:49:25.059
the true total economic impact when you factor

00:49:25.059 --> 00:49:26.500
in everything, the better health, the improved

00:49:26.500 --> 00:49:28.539
reproduction, the higher yield, the potential

00:49:28.539 --> 00:49:31.219
milk quality benefits. It all adds up. The research

00:49:31.219 --> 00:49:34.360
seems incredibly clear, the economics look compelling,

00:49:34.599 --> 00:49:36.739
and the opportunities seem pretty immediate.

00:49:36.980 --> 00:49:39.420
Absolutely. The research -backed reality is hard

00:49:39.420 --> 00:49:42.079
to argue with. You've got the Italian study with

00:49:42.079 --> 00:49:45.920
its stunning 9 .1 ROI showing clear gains. You've

00:49:45.920 --> 00:49:48.719
got the meta -analysis confirming organic sources

00:49:48.719 --> 00:49:51.440
boost milk selenium. You've got the heat stress

00:49:51.440 --> 00:49:54.059
research showing improved antioxidant function

00:49:54.059 --> 00:49:57.340
with newer forms like HMCBA. And those recent

00:49:57.340 --> 00:50:00.420
2025 studies confirming immune and antioxidant

00:50:00.420 --> 00:50:03.360
benefits from third -gen products, the science

00:50:03.360 --> 00:50:06.119
is really pointing in one direction. So the choice

00:50:06.119 --> 00:50:08.400
really isn't about whether you can afford to

00:50:08.400 --> 00:50:10.480
upgrade your selenium program. It's whether you

00:50:10.480 --> 00:50:13.139
can afford not to. Right. Preventing just a couple

00:50:13.139 --> 00:50:16.280
of cases of mastitis, maybe a few retained placentas

00:50:16.280 --> 00:50:19.239
over a year, that easily pays for the entire

00:50:19.239 --> 00:50:22.650
herd's premium selenium supplement cost. potentially

00:50:22.650 --> 00:50:25.190
several times over based on those cost figures

00:50:25.190 --> 00:50:27.369
we discussed. When you look at the cost of those

00:50:27.369 --> 00:50:30.050
diseases versus the cost of prevention, the math

00:50:30.050 --> 00:50:32.230
becomes very clear. It really seems like one

00:50:32.230 --> 00:50:34.929
of the highest ROI opportunities available right

00:50:34.929 --> 00:50:37.329
now for immediate implementation on -farm. So,

00:50:37.329 --> 00:50:40.050
what's the next step? Your next strategic move

00:50:40.050 --> 00:50:42.710
should be clear. Contact your nutritionist this

00:50:42.710 --> 00:50:45.369
week. Don't wait. No. Demand a detailed breakdown

00:50:45.369 --> 00:50:47.869
of your current selenium program. Ask for the

00:50:47.869 --> 00:50:51.210
analytical specifications. Specifically, ask

00:50:51.210 --> 00:50:53.449
about selenomethionine content verification,

00:50:53.730 --> 00:50:56.730
if you're using yeast. Ask about batch consistency

00:50:56.730 --> 00:51:00.170
guarantees. Ask for bioavailability data backed

00:51:00.170 --> 00:51:02.730
by research. And if they can't provide clear,

00:51:02.829 --> 00:51:05.269
scientifically -backed answers. Then, as the

00:51:05.269 --> 00:51:07.190
Bullvine article implies, you've likely just

00:51:07.190 --> 00:51:09.349
found a major reason why your current selenium

00:51:09.349 --> 00:51:12.349
strategy might be underperforming and costing

00:51:12.349 --> 00:51:14.550
you way more than you realize in hidden losses.

00:51:15.340 --> 00:51:17.820
Don't settle for guesswork or vague assurances.

00:51:18.360 --> 00:51:21.000
Demand the data. The dairy industry today, it

00:51:21.000 --> 00:51:23.219
really rewards operators who make decisions based

00:51:23.219 --> 00:51:25.300
on evidence, not just tradition, doesn't it?

00:51:25.380 --> 00:51:27.579
It has to. Margins are too tight for guesswork.

00:51:27.760 --> 00:51:29.500
And this Bullvine article makes it abundantly

00:51:29.500 --> 00:51:32.000
clear. Selenium strategy is one area where the

00:51:32.000 --> 00:51:34.000
peer -reviewed research points decisively towards

00:51:34.000 --> 00:51:36.460
an upgrade, an upgrade that pays for itself and

00:51:36.460 --> 00:51:38.480
then generates significant profit through better

00:51:38.480 --> 00:51:41.099
health, lower costs, and higher production. The

00:51:41.099 --> 00:51:43.840
evidence is strong. So the final crucial question

00:51:43.840 --> 00:51:46.420
for everyone listening is this. Will you keep

00:51:46.420 --> 00:51:48.980
paying potentially premium prices for inconsistent

00:51:48.980 --> 00:51:51.619
results, gambling on product quality you can't

00:51:51.619 --> 00:51:54.300
actually verify? Or will you invest in proven

00:51:54.300 --> 00:51:57.219
third generation technology that transforms selenium

00:51:57.219 --> 00:52:00.260
from a hidden cost center into a documented profit

00:52:00.260 --> 00:52:03.039
driver with verified nine to one returns? It's

00:52:03.039 --> 00:52:05.199
a choice with significant financial implications.

00:52:05.360 --> 00:52:07.639
It really is a decision that could genuinely

00:52:07.639 --> 00:52:10.139
redefine your farm's profitability. Something

00:52:10.139 --> 00:52:12.219
to think seriously about this week. that's a

00:52:12.219 --> 00:52:14.559
wrap on today's episode of the bullvine podcast

00:52:14.559 --> 00:52:17.739
if this analysis of selenium supplementation

00:52:17.739 --> 00:52:20.059
strategy has you questioning your current mineral

00:52:20.059 --> 00:52:23.579
program you're asking the right questions the

00:52:23.579 --> 00:52:25.980
research is clear the economics are compelling

00:52:25.980 --> 00:52:30.199
and the implementation roadmap is proven remember

00:52:30.199 --> 00:52:32.719
the dairy industry rewards operators who make

00:52:32.719 --> 00:52:35.809
decisions based on evidence rather than tradition.

00:52:36.070 --> 00:52:38.309
Your selenium strategy represents one of the

00:52:38.309 --> 00:52:41.050
highest ROI investments you can make for improved

00:52:41.050 --> 00:52:44.570
herd health and reduced treatment costs. For

00:52:44.570 --> 00:52:47.050
the complete article, with all the research citations,

00:52:47.050 --> 00:52:49.670
implementation guidelines, and economic analysis

00:52:49.670 --> 00:52:53.869
we discussed today, visit www .thebullvine .com.

00:52:54.449 --> 00:52:56.849
You'll find detailed breakdowns of the Italian

00:52:56.849 --> 00:52:59.460
Holstein study, the four -phase implementation

00:52:59.460 --> 00:53:02.380
strategy, and specific questions to ask your

00:53:02.380 --> 00:53:04.659
nutritionist about selenium quality verification.

00:53:06.000 --> 00:53:08.480
Don't forget to subscribe to the Bullvine Podcast

00:53:08.480 --> 00:53:11.480
for more bold dairy industry insights that challenge

00:53:11.480 --> 00:53:15.019
the status quo. Until next time, keep pushing

00:53:15.019 --> 00:53:17.300
the boundaries of what's possible in dairy production.

00:53:18.340 --> 00:53:21.460
This has been the Bullvine Podcast. Stay progressive.