Selenium content in feedstuffs in Vojvodina (Serbia)

We examined 142 samples of various feedstuffs (grain and hay) from 31 commu nities in Vojvodina, a region of the utmost importance for cereal productio n in Serbia. Selenium content was measured using atomic absorption spectrom etry. The results were expressed as mu g/kg dry weight (ppb) and were as fo llows: maize (n=37) 38.46 +/- 17.04; wheat (28) 50.94 +/- 22.25; oats (19) 58.75 +/- 22.80; all grains (117) 46.19 +/- 20.82; hay (25) 65.08 +/- 37.01 ; all feedstuffs (142) 49.52 +/- 25.33. In 59.1% of the feedstuffs examined Se content was lower than 50 mu g/kg and only in 2 samples of hay did it e xceed 100 mu g/kg. Se content in feedstuffs from two sub-regions, Banat and Backa, did not differ significantly from the Vojvodina average, but in Sre m it was significantly lower (41,22 +/- 21,18 mu g/kg). Although these valu es are twice as high as corresponding data for the rest of Serbia, Vojvodin a is still a region of low Se content.