Effects of high-dose prepartum injections of Se and vitamin E on milk and serum concentrations in ewes

Abstract

An experiment was conducted to evaluate the effects of relatively high-dose Se and vitamin E injections to pregnant ewes on serum Se and α-tocopherol concentrations of the dam and their offspring, the Se concentrations of colostrum and milk, and the relative lasting effects of these nutrients in the body. Ewes were randomly assigned to seven experimental groups that included treatment combinations of three levels of Se (0, 1.0 and 1.5 mg of Se per kg BW) and two levels of vitamin E (4.5 and 9.0 mg of α-tocopherol per kg BW). A control group received no supplementary Se or vitamin E. Treatments were administered 1 month prior to lambing with the quantity split into equal doses, the second dose being administered 8–10 days after the first. Treatment had no effect on serum Se concentrations of lambs or serum vitamin E concentrations of ewes. Serum Se in ewes was higher ( P < 0.01) after Se supplementation (0.082 vs. 0.036 p.p.m.). Concentrations of serum Se were lower ( P < 0.05), but serum vitamin E was higher for ewes at pretreatment. Ewes treated with the high dose of vitamin E had higher (but not significant) colostrum vitamin E concentrations, and their lambs reflected this with higher ( P < 0.05) serum tocopherol. Variations in milk Se were due to the interaction between periods with Se ( P < 0.01) or with vitamin E ( P < 0.05). Se-treated ewes had higher ( P < 0.05) colostrum Se, and after 1 month postpartum ewes treated with the highest dose of Se still had higher ( P < 0.05) milk Se, thus showing a carry-over effect. In conclusion, Se and vitamin E prepartum injections to sheep will result in higher colostrum concentrations of these elements, with a 1 month carry-over of Se in milk produced later.