Effects of diet and vitamin E supplementation on the distribution of vitamin E in plasma, muscle, liver and adipose tissue in lambs fed on concentrates alone or with grass silage

Abstract

Vitamin E protects the animal from oxidative stressin vivoand when it is administered at supranutritional levels it enhances the oxidative stability of meat. Studies have shown that poor absorption of vitamin E often occurs when concentrates are fed to lambs. Distribution of vitamin E in plasma, skeletal muscle, liver (short-term and fast release depot) and adipose tissue (long-term and slow release depot) provides useful information about the overall vitamin E status of the animals. This work studied the distribution of vitamin E in the tissues after supplementation in relation to diet and to the dietary level.