Selenium chicks

In 1956 selenium was identified (123) as an essential micronutrient iu nutrition. In conjunction with vitamin E, selenium is effective iu the prevention of muscular dystrophy iu animals. Sodium selenite is adrninistered to prevent exudative diathesis iu chicks, a condition iu which fluid leaks out of the tissues white muscle disease iu sheep and infertility iu ewes (see Eeed ADDITIVES). Selenium lessens the iacidence of pneumonia iu lambs and of premature, weak, and stillborn calves controls hepatosis dietetica iu pigs and decreases muscular inflammation iu horses. White muscle disease, widespread iu sheep and cattle of the selenium-deficient areas of New Zealand and the United States, is insignificant iu high selenium soil areas. The supplementation of animal feeds with selenium was approved by the U.S. EDA iu 1974 (see Eeed additives). Much of selenium s metaboHc activity results from its involvement iu the selenoproteia enzyme, glutathione peroxidase. 

Methyl-27/-thiopyran was identified among 20 other components in the oil from Allium sativum (88MI3). The supplementation of boiler chick feeds with various selenium compounds including 4//-selenopyran 13b has been investigated (90MI1). 

The synergistic effect observed in the presence of all three antioxidants implies that there is an interaction between the individual antioxidant components. The direct interaction of the a-tocopherol radical and ascorbic acid is already well established (Bisby and Parker 1995) and a study by Mayne and Parker (1989) on chicks deficient in vitamin E and selenium showed that the... 

Day-old chicks fed selenium-deficient diets plus 100 mg Zn/kg FW, as zinc oxide, purified ration for 9 days Hens fed diets containing 218, 257, 1762, or 1861 mg Zn/kg diet for up to 40 weeks... 

Elzubeir, E.A. and R.H. Davis. 1988a. Effect of dietary sodium nitroprusside as a source of cyanide on the selenium status of chicks given diets of varying selenium concentration. Brit. Poult. Sci. 29 769-777. 

Acute toxicity of paraquat in the domestic chicken was highly responsive to nutritional selenium status and not to Vitamin E status. As little as 0.01 mg Se/kg ration protected 8-day-old chicks against acute paraquat poisoning (Combs and Peterson 1983). Paraquat administered to chickens by way of diet was less toxic than the same amount administered in drinking water (Fletcher 1967). 

Combs, G.F. and F.J. Peterson. 1983. Protection against acute paraquat toxicity by dietary selenium in the chick. Jour. Nutr. 13 538-545. 

Fairbrother, A., M. Fix, T. O Hara, and C.A. Ribic. 1994. Impairment of growth and immune function of avocet chicks from sites with elevated selenium, arsenic, and boron. Jour. Wildl. Dis. 30 222-233. 

Howell, G. O., and Hill, C. H. (1978). Biological interaction of selenium with other trace elements in chicks. Environ. Health Perspect. 25,147-150. 

To some extent the vitamin E requirement may be lessened by the presence in the diet of synthetic antioxidants and by selenium. Much evidence supports a relationship between the nutritional need for selenium and that for vitamin E. Lack of either causes muscular dystrophy in many animals as well as severe edema (exudative diathesis) in chicks. Since vitamin E-deficient rats have a low selenide (Se2 ) content, it has been suggested that vitamin E protects reduced selenium from oxidation.) Vitamin C (ascorbic acid), in turn, protects vitamin E. 

In terms of human dietary requirements, much of the wheat for breadmaking in the United States is produced in selenium-adequate sections of the country. Bread is generally a good source of dietary selenium, Selenomethionine decomposes lipid peroxides and inhibits in vivo lipid peroxidation in tissues of vitamin-E-deficient chicks. Selenocysdne catalyzes the decomposition of organic hydroperoxides. Selenoproteins show a high degree of inhibition of lipid peroxidation in livers of sheep, chickens, and rats, Thus, some forms of selenium exhibit in vivo antioxidant behavior,... 

Jensen LS. 1975. Modification of a selenium toxicity in chicks by dietary silver and copper. J Nutr 105 769-775. 

In growing chicks, a deficiency can result in (i) encephalomalacia or crazy chick disease (ii) exudative diathesis, an oedema caused by excessive capillary permeability or (iii) muscular dystrophy. Encephalomalacia occurs when the diet contains unsaturated fats that are susceptible to rancidity. Some antioxidants, in addition to vitamin E, are also effective against encephalomalacia. Exudative diathesis is prevented by dietary selenium, and muscular dystrophy is a complex disease influenced by vitamin E, selenium, and the... 

Bunk, M.J. and Combs, J.F. 1980. Effect of selenium on appetite in the selenium-deficient chick. J. Nutr. 110, 743-749. 

Cantor, A.H., Langevin, M.L., Moguchi, T., and Scott, M.L. 1975a. Efficacy of selenium in selenium compounds and feedstuffs for prevention of pancreatic fibrosis in chicks. J. Nutr. 105, 106-111. 

Thompson JN and Scott ML (1970) Impaired lipid and vitamin E absorption related to atrophy of the pancreas in selenium-deficient chicks. Journal of Nutrition 100, 797-809. 

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