Causes and symptoms of white muscle disease in livestock

White muscle disease in livestock (white‑muscle disease) is a serious metabolic disorder commonly seen in calves and young buffaloes due to vitamin E and selenium deficiency, causing skeletal muscles to degenerate and harden, affecting mobility. Vemedim will provide an overview of the disease mechanism, early recognizable symptoms, and practical prevention and treatment measures, helping livestock farmers become more proactive in caring for their herds through the content below.

Causes of white muscle disease

White Muscle Disease (WMD) is a common nutritional myopathy in kids, calves, and young buffaloes when the body is deficient in selenium or vitamin E. These are two important nutrients that help the body fight oxidative stress and maintain normal muscle function.

The disease not only affects skeletal muscle but can also impact the heart and diaphragm, leading to serious consequences such as difficulty breathing or sudden death. Therefore, understanding the causes, signs, and prevention of white muscle disease is extremely important for livestock farmers.

A deficiency in these two nutrients leads to muscle degeneration, clearly manifested by white streaks in the muscle, signs of calcification, and immune cell infiltration. The disease often occurs when young livestock begin to move more on pasture or during rapid growth.

*White muscle disease is common in calves when the body is deficient in selenium and vitamin E, affecting mobility*

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Common symptoms of white muscle disease

White muscle disease usually appears in young livestock from 1 week to 4 months of age, especially those that are growing rapidly or have just been turned out to pasture. When observing, you may notice the following signs:

Fatigue, lethargy, reduced movement: Young livestock do not want to stand up or walk and lie down a lot.
Stiff posture: The body is rigid, with a rocking-horse posture or lying on the back, making it difficult to flex and extend the legs.
Muscles are stiff and painful to the touch: Especially in the hind legs and back; the muscles may appear pale, with white streaks.
Heart and respiratory muscles are affected: If the disease affects the heart muscle or diaphragm, kids may die suddenly.

In addition, breeding females deficient in selenium may experience retained placenta after giving birth, which is also an indirect warning sign of selenium deficiency in the herd.

*White muscle disease causes calves to become tired, lethargic, and less mobile, with stiff muscles and difficulty flexing and extending the legs*

Diagnosis of white muscle disease

To confirm WMD, livestock farmers need to combine clinical observation with laboratory tests.

Clinical observation

Check gait, posture, and mobility. Compare both sides of the body to identify asymmetry.
Examine the hind leg muscles, back, diaphragm, and heart muscle (if possible).
Look for pale muscles or white streaks on muscle bundles.

Blood tests

Creatine phosphokinase (CPK): Very high in goats with WMD, reflecting muscle damage.
Serum selenium and α-tocopherol: Selenium < 0.05 ppm and vitamin E < 2 ppm are signs of deficiency.
Glutathione peroxidase (GSH-PX): Activity < 20 units/mg hemoglobin indicates severe selenium deficiency.

Necropsy

Pale muscles with white streaks.
The heart muscle or diaphragm may be damaged.
In some cases, diffuse muscle degeneration or muscle necrosis may occur.

*White muscle disease needs to be detected early for intervention, reducing losses for livestock farmers*

Prevention and treatment of white muscle disease

To prevent the disease, it is important to ensure that young livestock receive enough selenium and vitamin E from their daily diet.

Supplementation through feed

The safest long-term approach is to ensure that young livestock receive enough selenium and vitamin E through their ration:

Selenium: 0.1-0.3 mg/kg dry matter (DM), maximum 5 mg/kg DM. It can be supplemented in inorganic form (sodium selenite, sodium selenate) or organic form (selenomethionine, selenocystine - better absorbed).
Vitamin E: 25-35 IU/kg DM for healthy goats; during stressful periods, this can be increased to 400-500 IU/day.
Supplement Vemedim Calphovit (GSGC) in the daily feed to provide vitamins, minerals, beneficial bacteria, and digestive enzymes, helping limit diarrhea and stunting in young livestock.

Note: Low selenium in soil and crops, poor feed storage conditions, or high iron/sulfur levels all affect selenium absorption.

Supplementation by injection

Using selenium and vitamin E combination products (BO-SE, MU-SE) can be used for prevention or acute treatment in young and adult livestock.
Slow-release selenium boluses are a good option for selenium-deficient areas.
It is necessary to coordinate with a veterinarian to determine the appropriate dosage and injection timing.

*The most important thing in preventing white muscle disease is paying attention to the daily nutrition of livestock*

Preventing white muscle disease requires attention to nutrition (ensuring adequate selenium and vitamin E), selecting healthy breeds, managing housing properly, and regularly monitoring herd health. When livestock farmers strictly implement these measures and receive appropriate technical support, the herd will be better protected, helping increase productivity, reduce losses, and improve farm economic efficiency. Contact Vemedim for advice on suitable solutions if you need support!