Abstract
The objective of this study was to determine the effects of milk supplemented with Sel-Plex on thyroid hormones, rectal temperature, plasma glucose and cholesterol concentrations, and body weight in suckling calves. Ten Holstein suckling male calves of approximately 1 month of age were selected and randomly allocated to one of two groups and fed either unsupplemented milk (control) or milk supplemented with 0.3 mg/kg DM Se from Sel-Plex (treated). The animals received treated milk and free choice starter for two months. Dry matter intake for each individual animal was recorded daily throughout the study. The calves were weighed and blood samples were taken weekly. Plasma concentrations of triiodothyronine (T 3 ), thyroxin (T 4 ) and T 3 -Uptake were determined using radioimmunoassay kits. Plasma cholesterol and glucose concentrations were determined by enzymatic-colorimetric methods. Rectal temperature was recorded at blood sampling time. During the experiment, ambient temperature and relative humidity were recorded at the time of blood sampling and every four hours. Treatment significantly (p<0.01) affected the concentration of T 3 , free T 3 index (FT 3 I) and ratio of T 3 :T 4 in plasma. The plasma concentrations of T 3 in treated calves were 33% higher than in the control. The plasma concentrations of T 4 (p<0.05), glucose (p<0.01) and cholesterol (p<0.01) were decreased in the treated group. Calves fed Sel-Plex had higher rectal temperature (p<0.01). Plasma free T 4 index (FT 4 I) did not differ significantly between the two groups. An increase in body weight was observed (p<0.09) in the treated group. The results indicated that milk fortified with Sel-Plex could increase tissue conversion of T 4 to T 3 and therefore improve thermometabolism in suckling calves.
Highlights
Nutritional degenerative myopathy and poor growth rate of calves are common manifestations of Se deficiency (Underwood, 1977)
The objectives of this study were to determine the effect of supplemented milk with Sel-Plex on thyroid hormones, rectal temperature, blood chemical concentrations, and body weight in Holstein suckling calves
Body weight tended to increase (p = 0.09) in the treated calves compared to control, average daily gain was not affected by Sel-Plex supplementation
Summary
Nutritional degenerative myopathy (white muscle disease) and poor growth rate of calves are common manifestations of Se deficiency (Underwood, 1977). During Se deficiency some key selenoproteins including type I and type II-deiodinase are decreased. These enzymes are responsible for catalyzing the prohormone thyroxin (T4) to the more biologically active thyroid hormone 3, 5, 3 triiodothyronine (T3), (Croteau et al, 1996). At cold stress which body needs more deiodinases and active thyroid hormones, more selenium is needed. There is an increase in producing peroxides in most tissues, more glutathione peroxidase activity and more selenium are needed. The objectives of this study were to determine the effect of supplemented milk with Sel-Plex on thyroid hormones, rectal temperature, blood chemical concentrations, and body weight in Holstein suckling calves
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