We found recently that sodium hydroxide, when used as a grain preservative, will rapidly destroy vitamin E in barley (McMurray, Blanchflower and Rice, 1980). This observation has been applied experimentally to make diets deficient in vitamin E which are already naturally deficient in selenium (Se). Such barley, when supplemented with other essential minerals and vitamins plus either soya bean protein or urea, will allow moderate growth (0.7 kg/day) when fed to young ruminants.