Nutritional myopathy in feeding hoggs

An unusual increase in cases of nutritional myopathy in sheep hoggs occurred in the spring of 1979 in the Scottish Borders. The usual overwinter diet for the area was turnips supplemented by home grown cereal, which is grossly deficient in selenium and vitamin E. This year the deficiency was further compounded by a cold wet winter, high stocking densities and certain management procedures, which probably caused the sudden upsurge of cases of myopathy.