Total Selenium Level and Its Distribution between Organs in Beef Cattle in Different Selenium Status
Marta Juszczak-Czasnojć,
Agnieszka Tomza-Marciniak,
Bogumiła Pilarczyk,
Dariusz Gączarzewicz
Affiliations
Marta Juszczak-Czasnojć
Department of Animal Reproduction Biotechnology and Environmental Hygiene, Faculty of Biotechnology and Animal Husbandry, West Pomeranian University of Technology in Szczecin, Klemensa Janickiego 29, 71-270 Szczecin, Poland
Agnieszka Tomza-Marciniak
Department of Animal Reproduction Biotechnology and Environmental Hygiene, Faculty of Biotechnology and Animal Husbandry, West Pomeranian University of Technology in Szczecin, Klemensa Janickiego 29, 71-270 Szczecin, Poland
Bogumiła Pilarczyk
Department of Animal Reproduction Biotechnology and Environmental Hygiene, Faculty of Biotechnology and Animal Husbandry, West Pomeranian University of Technology in Szczecin, Klemensa Janickiego 29, 71-270 Szczecin, Poland
Dariusz Gączarzewicz
Department of Animal Reproduction Biotechnology and Environmental Hygiene, Faculty of Biotechnology and Animal Husbandry, West Pomeranian University of Technology in Szczecin, Klemensa Janickiego 29, 71-270 Szczecin, Poland
The aim of this study was to determine the Se concentration in the main tissues of beef cattle and to evaluate the differences in tissue distribution between animals with different selenium status. Selenium concentration was determined in the serum, longissimus dorsi muscle, semitendinosus muscle, kidney, heart, liver, spleen and lungs of cows, heifers and beef bulls, using spectrofluorimetric method. Despite receiving supplementation, 55.6% animals demonstrated an optimal Se level, while 44.4% were deficient. The mean serum Se concentration was significantly higher (p p < 0.05), and the lowest in the muscles. As Se deficiencies can be found among supplemented animals, the level of Se should be monitored in beef cattle in order to detect possible Se deficiencies, which may have negative health effects for animals and reduce the value of animal products as a source of Se in the human diet.
