The Effect of Dietary Selenium Source and Vitamin E Levels on Performance of Male Broilers

M Choct,A J Naylor

doi:10.5713/ajas.2004.1000

Abstract

Selenium and vitamin E are micronutrients essential for normal health and maintenance in poultry. They are necessary in preventing free radical damage to phospholipid membranes, enzymes and other important molecules. Two experiments were conducted in a semi-commercial environment to examine the effect of Se source and vitamin E level in diet on broiler performance and meat quality. Increasing vitamin E from 50 IU to 100 IU did not affect growth performance of broilers although the 24 h drip-loss was tended to be reduced (p=0.06). There was an interaction between vitamin E and the source of Se in glutathione peroxidase activity (GSH-Px) and Se concentration in excreta. Increasing vitamin E from 50 IU to 100 IU elevated GSH-Px and Se concentration in excreta by 42 IU/g Hb and 0.9 ppm for the organic Se group, respectively, but reduced GSH-Px and Se concentration in excreta by 16 IU/g Hb and 1.3 ppm for inorganic group, respectively. Vitamin E played no role in the feather coverage of the birds when scored on day 37. Organic Se is more effective in improving feather score and 24 h drip-loss, with a markedly higher deposition rate in breast muscle and a lower excretion rate in the excreta (p 0.05) the energy utilisation by birds. (Asian-Aust. J. Anim. Sci. 2004. Vol 17, No. 7 : 1000-1006)

Highlights

Selenium (Se) is involved in membrane integrity and numerous selenoproteins, and is required by poultry for the maintenance of optimal health and meat quality
Selenium supplementation increased feathering with organic Se being superior to inorganic Se
It is well understood that selenium has a strong interaction with vitamin E in the protection of cells from free radical damage and improvement of bird health and immune status, and both vitamin E and Se are antioxidants essential for cell survival in environments containing peroxides

Summary

INTRODUCTION

Selenium (Se) is involved in membrane integrity and numerous selenoproteins, and is required by poultry for the maintenance of optimal health and meat quality. It is well understood that selenium has a strong interaction with vitamin E in the protection of cells from free radical damage and improvement of bird health and immune status, and both vitamin E and Se are antioxidants essential for cell survival in environments containing peroxides. Most of the vitamin E responsive disorders expressed in animals respond to Se treatment Diseases such as exudative diathesis and pancreatic fibrosis in poultry, nutritional liver necrosis and mulberry heart disease in pigs and white muscle disease in sheep could be prevented by dietary Se supplementation (Sunde, 1994). Organic sources are more effective in increasing tissue Se levels as they are deposited along with its sulphur analogue than inorganic Se. The response of broilers to Se supplementation could vary greatly with the level of vitamin E in the diet. Se sources and the level of vitamin E on the performance of male broilers

MATERIALS AND METHODS

RESULTS

DISCUSSION