What is the role of selenium?2017-05-08T17:06:08+10:00

Selenium is an essential mineral to mammalian metabolism.
Selenium is the core constituent of the specific and unique amino acid ‘selenocysteine’.
Selenocysteine is a key component of selenoproteins – of which there are 25 (known). Each selenoprotein is implicated in very specific functions mostly related to antioxidant activity, like glutathione peroxidases, thioredoxin reductases and methionine sulfoxide reductase. These enzymes in partnership with others are major antioxidants. In addition to this major role in antioxidant systems, selenoprotein functions are also involved in reproductive and immune system mechanisms. Selenomethionine, the second seleno amino acid, represents a safe and convenient storage form of selenium in the body to support selenoprotein synthesis.

Where does selenium come from?2017-05-08T17:02:48+10:00

Plants can absorb selenium from the soil (selenium mainly present in inorganic forms: selenite or selenate), however selenium is generally not considered essential for plant growth. Nevertheless, if selenium is present in the soil, plants can take it up and convert the selenium to seleno-cysteine (se-cys), selenomethionine (SeMet) and other organic Se compounds, which are essential to animals.
Grains and grasses often have very low selenium levels as they depend on the selenium levels in the soil (which varies greatly). That’s why in some countries (especially NZ), sodium selenate is frequently included in the fertilizer regimes, to enrich soils with selenium to enhance the SeMet contents of grains and grasses. New Zealand has poor soil selenium levels, thus we also have low selenium levels in grasses, grains and vegetal sources. So, selenium must be added to animal diets.

What are the main consequences of dietary selenium deficiency?2017-05-08T17:01:23+10:00

Deficient selenium levels are related to decreased male and female fertility, poor embryonic development, and growth performance impairment. Selenium deficiency induces low levels or absence of selenoproteins, which are important in various metabolic functions, thus leading to various pathologies. Severe Se deficiency can cause several dysfunctions, like exudative diathesis, muscular dystrophy and encephalomalacia.

What are the main selenium sources available on the market?2017-05-08T17:00:00+10:00

There are two main (inorganic) selenium sources: sodium selenite and sodium selenate. Selenite is known to be poorly absorbed, with moderate efficacy to improve selenium status. Apart from inorganic sources, selenium can also be provided in the organic form including selenoyeasts, selenomethionine or hydroxy-selenomethionine (Se-OH-Met or HMSeBA). Some other selenium forms such as proteinates and glycinates are often considered to be organic, however, as selenium is a metalloid, it cannot chelate with proteins or amino acids, and those forms can only be considered as mineral selenium associated with protein hydrolysates or amino acids. Those associations show no improvement of selenium absorption.

How does selenium absorption occur in the animal?2017-05-08T16:58:28+10:00

Selenium absorption occurs through the intestinal wall, depending on the selenium source provided. Inorganic selenium absorption occurs with passive diffusion, while selenomethionine (SeMet) is actively absorbed, similarly to the essential amino acid methionine. Importantly, cells are not able to discriminate between methionine and selenomethionine.

How and where does the animal store selenium?2017-05-08T16:57:02+10:00

Absorbed selenium is distributed throughout the body. Selenium can only be stored as selenomethionine (SeMet). The amino acid SeMet can be incorporated into body tissues during protein synthesis in place of a methionine amino acid; this replacement has no impact structurally or functionally on the protein. Selenomethionine represents a storage form of selenium. Selenomethionine can also be metabolized into selenide for selenocysteine synthesis, which is ultimately incorporated into selenoproteins. Selenomethionine can thus be either oriented to a storage form, or can be used as the active form selenocysteine by incorporating into selenoproteins.

What are the beneficial effects on selenium utilization?2017-05-08T16:55:39+10:00

Selenium is active through the amino acid selenocysteine. Selenocysteine forms the ‘active site’ in selenoproteins which are mainly involved in cellular antioxidant systems and improving the animal’s immune defence system. Other selenoproteins play a role for sperm maturation, immune system activation or thyroid hormone activation.

Does Selisseo® have the “by-pass” ability in ruminants?2017-05-08T16:54:12+10:00

Selisseo, being a pure source of HMSeBA, is not rumen by-pass.

Is selenium from Selisseo® transferred to the milk?2017-05-08T16:52:32+10:00

Yes, and our first results reveal that Selisseo is a more efficient selenium source than sodium selenite and selenised yeasts to increase milk selenium content. Bulk Tank Milk Samples are a quick and easy way to test for presence of selenium in the milk.

What is the composition of Selisseo®?2017-05-08T16:51:20+10:00

The active substance in Selisseo® is hydroxy-selenomethionine or HMSeBa (2-hydroxy-4-methyl selenobutanoic acid) containing 40% selenium.

Selisseo® is made up of 5% of HMSeBA and 95% of carrier (silica).

As Selisseo is obtained from chemical process, it is highly reliable and batch after batch its content of HMSeBA is guaranteed above 98%.

How do you reach ‘2% concentration’ when Selisseo® is made up of 5% HMSeBa/OH-Se-Met?2017-05-08T16:50:03+10:00

HMSeBA contains 40% elemental selenium.
There is 5% HMSeBa (and 95% silica carrier) in Selisseo 2%.
5% HMSeBa x 40% elemental selenium = 2% Selisseo.

Are there any selenium chelates?2017-05-08T16:45:16+10:00

No, there are not because selenium is a metalloid, so it does not form chelates. However, certain minerals, like zinc, are able to form chelates with selenomethionine.

What is the difference between selenium-yeast and selenium chelate?2017-05-08T16:43:46+10:00

Selenium-yeast contains mostly organic forms of selenium, however yeasts only contain about 60% of their selenium as Se-Met. More than 50 different forms of organic selenium have been identified in yeast but they do not have biological efficacy (like Se-Met does). Moreover, the main issue regarding Se-Yeasts is their variability in Se-Met content. Selenised yeasts are produced by fermenting yeasts with sodium selenite (and selenite is toxic for the yeast), therefore large variability exists in Se-Yeasts. Test results show that Se-Met content in selenised yeasts can vary from 20% to 70% between batches of production, including different batches from the same producer. The Zinc chelate of Se-Met is also a pure form of Se-Met, however Se-Met does not need to be chelated in order to be absorbed and thus, Zn-SeMet has a lower absorption rate compared to pure SeMet or OH-Se-Met.

What is the toxicity of Selisseo®?2017-05-08T16:42:03+10:00

As a commercial product (with regards to handling) Selisseo® is 25 times safer than sodium selenite 45%. As an ingredient for animal feed, Selisseo® is two times safer as a selenium source. Adisseo have fed up to 10 ppm Se from Selisseo (normal range is 0.1ppm – 0.3ppm), and did not see any toxicity symptoms.

Why should we use organic selenium sources?2017-05-08T16:39:31+10:00

Organic selenium is more bioavailable to the animal and more selenium is transformed into the storage form (Se-Met) or functional form (Se-Cys) when compared to inorganic selenium.

What is Kynofos?2015-05-12T14:47:53+10:00

Kynofos 21 is a rich source of bioavailable phosphorus and calcium. The blend containers Monocalcium Phosphate (MCP) and Dicalcium Phosphate Dihydrate (DCP) in the ratio of approximately 3:1. This results in a blend which has a high (75%) solubility in the rumen. Please click here for more information.

What amount of Kynofos should I have in my dry licks?2015-05-12T14:46:32+10:00

Working on a breeder cow eating 150 grams of dry lick per head per day with a 20% (200kg / tonne) inclusion rate, cattle would be getting 4.71 g of available phosphorus per head per day for every 150 g of lick consumed.

What amount of phosphorus do cattle require?2015-05-12T14:45:50+10:00

Depending on the animals being fed, ideal intakes for breeder cattle during the Wet season (Green grass) is 10 grams per head per day of available phosphate.  During the Dry season (Dry pasture) is 6 grams per head per day.  Lactating cows use 1 gram of phosphate for each liter of milk produced for the calf, so a calf drinking 6 liters of milk, the breeder cow needs 6 grams of available phosphate per day to satisfy this milk production.

Why do I need to feed phosphorus?2015-05-12T14:45:04+10:00

Phosphorus is an essential mineral required by cattle all year round for skeletal growth, prevention of bone chewing, improved reproductive performance, improved growth rates and pasture utilisation.

When do I need to feed phosphorus?2015-05-12T14:43:45+10:00

In the wet season, pasture energy and protein are sufficient and phosphorus is the first limiting nutrient. In the dry season, providing phosphorus in addition to a nitrogen source will unlock the energy stored in dried pastures.  Therefore increasing pasture utilisation.

How do I open an account with BEC?2015-03-10T12:17:27+10:00

Please contact our customer service or accounts department at 1300 884 593 and request an account application which must be filled out and returned to the accounts team for processing. If you would like to open a COD account, you still need to contact either customer service or accounts and give us the name you wish the account to be under, all contact details, a delivery and invoice address and we can then arrange for a COD account to be set up.

What are your despatch hours?2015-03-10T12:16:24+10:00

7:00am to 3:00pm.

Do you sell protein meals in small bags?2017-05-04T04:48:35+10:00

Yes we do, but sold by the pallet load. For more information please contact us.

Do you have your own transport company?2017-05-04T04:48:35+10:00

No, however we can supply details of transport companies that may be able to assist you with your delivery. For more information please contact us.

Can I come in off of the street and purchase?2017-05-04T04:48:35+10:00

No, you must have an account established with us and the minimum order requirement is $750 per order. If you would like to open an account with us, please contact us.

Do you have a price list you can send out?2017-05-04T04:48:35+10:00

No as pricing fluctuates quarterly/monthly and even more frequently on some products. If you would like the current pricing on a product please contact us at 1300 884 593.

What is the difference between flavours and sweeteners?2017-05-04T04:48:36+10:00

Flavours are products used to attract an animal to the feed/supplement whereas sweeteners is an additive to increase the palatability of the feed/supplements for the animals. Both can be natural or synthetic. Please click here for our available sweeteners and flavourings.

Do you sell complete feed?2015-03-10T12:10:58+10:00

We do not sell complete feed as we specialise in premixes, feed additives and commodities.

What is NIR?2017-05-04T04:48:36+10:00

NIR stands for Near Infrared Spectroscopy. It is a service provided by BEC Feed Solutions. For more information about NIR please click here.

Where can I get Specifications for your products?2017-05-04T04:48:36+10:00

The specifications are available for the BEC branded. Please choose the specie to find the spec sheets. Please contact us if you have any further questions about these specs, or require specs for products from our custom made premixes, feed additives, feed ingredients and commodities range.


Where can I get MSDS for your products?2017-05-04T04:48:36+10:00

Please email us if you need the Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) for any of the products that we have available.

What is Restricted Animal Material (RAM)?2017-05-04T04:48:36+10:00

Restricted Animal Material (RAM) is products of animal origin and these are not to be fed to cattle, sheep, goats, deer or other ruminants. If you have a questions about a product that has RAM please contact us for advice.

What is S4? Why do I need a vet script?2015-03-10T12:05:19+10:00

S4 stands for Schedule 4  -Prescription Only Medicine or Prescription Animal Remedy. This is classification can be found in Standard for the Uniform Scheduling of Medicines and Poisons (SUSMP). Schedule 4 lists all the products that can only be used or supplied with a prescription. In animal context, any product that contains a medicine from the S4 list will need a prescription from a veterinarian.

Do you sell medication?2017-05-04T04:48:36+10:00

BEC Feed Solutions sells both prescription and non prescription medication. Please contact us for more information about the availability of medications.

Can I use Vital Millpack All Poultry for my layer or broiler birds?2015-03-10T12:02:30+10:00

Vital Millpack All Poultry can be used for both layer and broiler birds.

What is a functional fibre?2017-05-04T04:48:36+10:00

It is a synergistic combination of fermentable and non-fermentable fibres which can counteract several digestive issues. Click here for our functional fibre product: Opticell.

What products do you have for dairy cattle?2017-05-04T04:48:36+10:00

We have a range of products for dairy cattle. Please click on the links below for your preference:

Premixes for dairy

Feed additives for dairy

Commodities for dairy

If you can’t find the product that you are looking for, please contact us.