Topics:
Animal Nutrition, Animal Refresher
Most Toxic Mineral
Most toxic amino acid is methionine while most toxic mineral is:
- Copper
- Selenium — Correct Answer
- Zinc
- Nickle
Explanation:
Correct Answer: Selenium
Selenium is the most toxic essential trace mineral, with an extremely narrow safety margin between its dietary requirement (~0.1–0.3 ppm) and its toxic threshold (>5 ppm). In comparison, methionine is the most toxic amino acid when overfed. Both share the distinction of being the most toxic in their respective nutrient categories.
Selenium Toxicity — Diseases
| Type | Disease | Feature |
|---|---|---|
| Acute poisoning | Blind staggers | Wandering, blindness, paralysis — caused by Astragalus (selenium accumulator plant) |
| Chronic poisoning | Alkali disease | Hair loss, hoof deformities, emaciation |
| Chronic poisoning (India) | Degnala disease | Dry gangrene of face, tail & hooves — mainly in Punjab & Haryana |
Selenium Deficiency — Diseases
- Ill thrift in lambs
- Nutritional muscular dystrophy (Stiff lamb disease, White muscle disease, Mulberry heart disease, Gizzard myopathy in turkey)
- Exudative diathesis in chicken
- Selenium deficiency metalloenzyme: Glutathione peroxidase
- Vitamin E and Selenium show a synergistic effect
📚 About this Topic — Animal Nutrition
This multiple choice question is from Animal Nutrition, Animal Refresher. It has 4 options with a detailed explanation of the correct answer. Practice more MCQs from Animal Nutrition to strengthen your preparation.
