Abstract
Assessment of Selenium Concentration in Selected Organs of Farmed Raccoon Dogs (Nyctereutes Procyonoides)The aim of the study was to determine selenium concentrations in the liver, kidneys, lungs, heart and muscles of farmed raccoon dogs (Nyctereutes procyonoides) and to evaluate their impact on hair coat quality. Selenium concentration was determined using the modified Watkinson's spectrofluorometric method. Subjects were 20 farmed raccoon dogs (Nyctereutes procyonoides) at the age of 8-9 months, which were kept on a farm in south-eastern Poland. The results show that liver selenium content averaged 0.23±0.10 μg/g w.w. (wet weight). The concentrations ranged from 0.04 to 0.49 μg/g w.w. Kidney selenium concentration (0.49±0.17 μg/g w.w. on average) was over twice that of liver concentration. Animals with higher scores for hair coat quality had lower selenium concentrations in the kidneys and liver, and higher selenium concentrations in muscles, but the differences were not significant. When relating Se concentrations determined in the liver of raccoon dogs to the biochemical criteria, it is concluded that 80% of the analysed raccoon dogs were deficient in this element and 20% had marginal levels. The results obtained in our study suggest that the food used on the farm did not fully meet the Se requirement of the raccoon dogs.
Highlights
Raccoon dogs are predators of the Canidae family which originate mainly from Asia and some regions of Europe
The results show that liver selenium content averaged 0.23±0.10 μg/g w.w
The data show that selenium concentration averaged 0.10±0.03 μg/g w.w. in the heart and 0.08±0.04 μg/g w.w. in muscles
Summary
Raccoon dogs are predators of the Canidae family which originate mainly from Asia and some regions of Europe. They are farmed for valuable fur which has long, dense and fluffy hairs. In Poland, raccoon dog farming began 30 years ago when the first animals were imported from Finland. The profitability of raccoon dog farming depends largely on well-balanced rations. In Poland and in the world, research on selenium concentration has focused on farm animals whose meat is used for food, namely cattle, sheep, pigs and horses (Hemingway, 2003; Ludvíková et al, 2005; Balicka-Ramisz et al, 2006; Pilarczyk et al, 2007, 2008, 2011a). Because the area of Poland is deficient in this element, animals are relatively often affected with Se deficiency
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