Abstract
Selenium (Se), an essential trace element for human and animal health, is covalently incorporated into amino acids, acts as a cofactor for antioxidant enzymes, and is involved in the maintenance of the immune system. The main goal of this investigation was to show the effect of Se supplementation, at levels slightly higher than the recommended values, combined with natural zeolite clinoptilolite on Se deposition in tissues (muscle and liver) and on the immune and antioxidative status of supplemented growing pigs. The experiment was carried out during a 98 d period on 60 pigs. Pigs were fed a standard feed mixture based on corn and soybean and were divided into four groups, according to the level of dietary selenium supplementation as follows: C-0.3 mg/kg DM organic Se, E1-0.5 mg/kg DM sodium selenite, E2-0.5 mg/kg DM organic selenium; E3-0.5 mg/kg DM organic Se+0.2% zeolite. Higher (P < 0.05) selenium concentrations were determined in the muscle and liver in growing pigs fed with higher organic Se in combination with zeolite compared to the lower organic Se concentration. Addition of organic Se increased (P < 0.05) Se deposition in muscle and liver compared to the equal amount of inorganic Se (E2 vs. E1). Higher organic Se in combination with natural zeolite addition increases (P < 0.05) proportion of pigs' cluster of differentiation (CD)45+ compared to the same amount of inorganic Se and lower organic Se addition. The proportion of CD45+ and CD4+ lymphocytes was higher (P < 0.05) in E3 group compared to the other groups. Higher (P < 0.05) proportion of CD21+ lymphocytes were measured in the E2 and E3 groups compared with the other groups. The highest (P < 0.01) activity of glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) in pig erythrocytes was observed in the E3 group, while higher (P < 0.05) activity of glutathione reductase (GR) was in all experimental groups related to the control one. A dietary addition of 0.5 mg/kg DM of organic Se in combination with zeolite (0.2% DM) has increased (P < 0.05) Se deposition in liver, muscle, and blood, compared to the dietary addition of 0.3 mg/kg DM of the organic Se.
Highlights
Selenium (Se) is an essential element for humans and animals but not for plants [1]
The Se concentrations after dietary addition in the E1 group were lower (P < 0.05) in blood than in the E2 and E3 groups fed with the same amount of the organic source of Se (Figure 1)
Pigs fed with a lower amount of organic Se (C) had a numerically higher concentration of Se compared with the E1 group (Figure 1)
Summary
Selenium (Se) is an essential element for humans and animals but not for plants [1]. The bioavailability of Se depends on the plant itself as well as on the concentration of Se in the soil [2, 3]. Selenium concentrations in three main soil types of the main agricultural region of Croatia (Osijek-Baranja County), namely haplic gelysol, stagnosol, and luvisol, were reported to be 538, 323, and 314 μg/kg, respectively [4], which means that there is a demand for Se supplementation in animal nutrition [5]. In post-weaning piglets, an increase in liver and plasma selenium concentrations subsequent to a supplementation with Se from both organic and inorganic sources. According to Rovers [17], Se deposition in muscle tissue is a good indicator of the selenium status of animals. The same author strongly suggests that selenized yeast with higher concentrations of selenomethionine significantly increases deposition of Se in muscle tissue compared with selenized yeast with a lower content of selenomethionine
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