Selenium contents of eggs from broiler breeders supplemented with sodium selenite or zinc-l-selenium-methionine

Abstract

This study evaluated the effects of sources and levels of Se in broiler breeder diets on egg production and Se concentration in eggs. Fifty Cobb 500 hens, 22 wk of age, were individually placed in steel cages and fed a basal diet without Se supplementation for 3 wk. Birds were then provided 5 dietary treatments with 10 replicates of 1 individual hen, which had dietary Se supplied from sodium selenite (inorganic; Na2 SeO3, 45% Se) or from Zn-l-Se-methionine (organic; ZnSeMet, 0.1% Se) as follows: treatment 1, 0.15% Se from Na2 SeO3; treatment 2, 0.30% Se from Na2 SeO3; treatment 3, 0.15% Se from ZnSeMet; treatment 4, 0.30% Se from ZnSeMet; treatment 5, 0.15% Se from Na2 SeO3 + 0.15% Se from ZnSeMet. Evaluations were conducted in 2 periods of 4 wk each. Experimental diets were prepared through the supplementation of corn-soybean meal diets. Egg production and egg weight were recorded daily, whereas specific gravity was measured twice a week from 25 to 32 wk. In the first period, the hens fed 0.30 ppm of organic Se produced more eggs (P < 0.05), whereas no difference (P > 0.05) in egg production was found in the second period. Period evaluations showed that egg weight was not different (P > 0.05), whereas specific gravity decreased (P < 0.05) and Se concentration in eggs increased (P < 0.05) in the second period, regardless of Se source. A comparison between treatments with single Se sources demonstrated that the concentration of Se in eggs followed the increased levels in the feeds when ZnSeMet was used (P < 0.05). However, the supplementation of a combination of sources (Na2 SeO3 and ZnSeMet) produced similar egg Se concentrations.