Abstract
This study investigated the effects of dietary selenium-enriched yeast (Se yeast) supplementation on the laying performance, egg quality, plasma antioxidant balance, and egg selenium (Se) content in laying Longyan ducks. A total of 480 32-week-old ducks were randomly divided into four dietary treatments, each consisting of six replicates of 20 ducks. The dietary treatments were a control basal diet and basal diets with supplementation of 0.05, 0.15, and 0.25 mg Se/kg via Se yeast. The analyzed Se contents of the four diets were 0.15, 0.21, 0.36, and 0.43 mg Se/kg, respectively. Dietary Se yeast supplementation had no apparent effects on laying performance and egg quality (p > 0.05), but it improved the antioxidant balance of ducks, as inferred by greater glutathione peroxidase and catalase activities, and decreased the malondialdehyde content in plasma of ducks (p < 0.05). It was suggested that the Se content in the basal diet containing 0.15 mg/kg of Se requirement is adequate for productive performance, but not for the antioxidant balance of laying ducks. Besides that, the Se contents in the yolk, albumen, and whole egg increased linearly as the Se supplementation levels increased. With more feeding days, the Se contents in the yolk and whole egg from non-Se-yeast-supplemented ducks increased linearly (p < 0.05), while those from Se-yeast-supplemented ducks showed a quadratic relationship (p < 0.05). In conclusion, the Se content of the basal diet at 0.15 mg/kg was adequate for laying performance and egg quality traits in laying ducks. Dietary Se yeast supplementation is beneficial to improve the antioxidant balance of laying ducks and increase the Se deposition in eggs for producing Se-enriched eggs. Based on the quadratic model or the quadratic broken-line model analyses, supplemental 0.19 mg Se/kg via Se yeast, with a total equivalent of 0.34 mg Se/kg in the diet, could provide the optimum antioxidant balance in laying ducks. Dietary supplementation of 0.25 mg Se/kg via Se yeast, with a total equivalent of 0.40 mg Se/kg in the diet, could lead to achieving the desired Se content in the whole egg.
Highlights
As a key component of glutathione peroxidase and selenoproteins, selenium (Se) is essential for the execution of oxidoreductase functions and plays a crucial role in various biological processes of animals, such as the fertilization capacity of spermatozoa, embryonic and post-natal development, and immune responses [1,2,3,4,5]
In response to increasing Se supplementation from Se yeast, the CAT activity increased in a linear way (r2 = 0.472, p < 0.001), while glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) activity was elevated in both linear (r2 = 0.296, p < 0.001) and quadratic manner (r2 = 0.955, p < 0.001)
For Total antioxidant capability (TAC), it was enhanced in a linear (r2 = 0.168, p < 0.001), quadratic (r2 = 0.861, p < 0.001), and cubic manner (r2 = 0.955, p < 0.001) with increasing Se supplementation from Se yeast
Summary
As a key component of glutathione peroxidase and selenoproteins, selenium (Se) is essential for the execution of oxidoreductase functions and plays a crucial role in various biological processes of animals, such as the fertilization capacity of spermatozoa, embryonic and post-natal development, and immune responses [1,2,3,4,5]. A fair number of studies tried to produce Se-enriched animal products via feed-based nutritional interventions to increase Se deposition in meat, egg, and milk [6,7,8,9,10]. Se deposition in egg yolk and albumen rose as dietary Se supplement levels increased, regardless of the Se source used [3, 11, 12]. Previous studies on laying hens and quails showed that those given organic Se sources, because of its higher bioavailability, received greater egg Se deposition compared with those given inorganic Se sources [16,17,18]. Most studies of egg Se deposition have focused on laying hens that received diets with Se supplementation, leaving ducks rarely investigated in this respect [27,28,29]. Here we tested to investigate the effects of Se supplementation above its basal requirement, using Se yeast as an organic Se source, on laying performance, egg quality, egg Se deposition, and plasma antioxidant indices in ducks
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
