Changes in Growth and Feed Efficiency in Chickens Supplemented with Supernutritional and Excess Selenium are Associated with Changes in Appetite

Abstract

Selenium (Se) is an essential nutrient for the chicken. We recently reported that both insufficient and excess Se decreased growth in chickens (Biol Trace Elem Res 159:174(2014)). Oral Se administration to Se‐deficient chickens has been reported to increase appetite within hours. To better understand the relationship of Se status with growth and appetite, 1‐day‐old Hy‐Line White chickens were fed a low Se diet (Se‐L, 0.028 mg/g) supplemented with 4 levels of dietary Se (0 to 5.0 mg Se/kg) as Na2SeO3 for 8 wk. Body weight (BW) and feed intake (FI) were decreased significantly by Se‐L and Se‐excess (Se‐E, 5.0 mg/kg) vs. Se‐adequate (Se‐A, 0.15 mg/kg), whereas Se‐supernutrition (Se‐S, 3.0 mg/kg) increased BW and FI as compared to Se‐A birds. FI relative to metabolic size (FI/BW0.67) of Se‐S birds was significantly higher than other groups. Se‐S lowered and Se‐E increased blood glucose relative to Se‐A and Se‐L birds. At 8 wk, gene expression of Neuropeptide Y (NPY) in hypothalamus was increased by Se‐S but leptin receptor (LEPR) mRNA levels were unchanged relative to Se‐A birds, suggesting that increased FI in Se‐S birds was due to increased appetite. In Se‐E birds, LEPR mRNA levels were increased at 8 wk, suggesting appetite was decreased in Se‐E birds. There were no differences in NPY or LEPR mRNA in Se‐L vs. Se‐A birds. In summary, these results demonstrate that changes in growth and feed efficiency with supernutritional Se and excess Se are associated with changes in appetite. Support: China NECT‐1207‐02; 1252‐NCET‐009 and 2012RBC52.