Biotechnology in Animal Husbandry (Jan 2014)
Effects of adding different forms of selenium in diets for fattening lambs
Abstract
The study included lambs of Mis population, divided into two groups (experimental and control) .All the animals fed with identical portions of meals consisted of alfalfa hay and fully concentrate mixtures. Meals are only different in the fact that the experimental group received organic selenium and contained 2000 mg of selenium / kg preparations, while the control group received inorganic selenium in the form of sodium selenite (Na2SeO3). Each animal consumed the same amount of selenium than 0.3 mg / kg of dry matter in the organic or inorganic form, which added in the mineral-vitamin premix. Diet of lambs has been ad libitum. The body weight of lambs in both (control and experimental groups), were balanced at 60 days (19.60 kg : 19.65 kg) and 100 days (31.06 kg : 32.88 kg). The result on average daily gain of the control and experimental groups were almost similar and there were no statistically significant differences (P> 0.05) in the measured values from 28 to 60 days (259.0 : 255.0 g), from the 60-100 days (286.0 : 330.0g), and on average from 28 to 100 days (274.0 : 297.0. g). Both treatment have no significant effect on lambs' performance (body weight and growth). The study results showed that the diet of lambs experimental group, based meal supplement organic selenium resulted in significantly higher concentration of Se in MLD, kidneys, liver and spleen, compared with the control group, which are consumed inorganic form of selenium. The differences between the Se content in MLD the experimental and control groups were on significance level P <0.05, while the differences in the content of Se in kidney, liver and spleen, the aforementioned treatments were statistically highly significant (P <0.01). So fattening lambs are better utilizing organic source of selenium, which is associated with better absorption of this element.
