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This study was conducted to investigate the effects of 2 selenium (Se) sources and 2 vitamin E (VE) levels in gestating and lactating diets of sows on Se status and antioxidant status of their progenies at farrowing and 21-d postpartum. The study was conducted in a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement of Se sources (0.30 mg/kg diet of sodium selenite or Se-enriched yeast) and VE levels (30 or 90 IU/kg diet). A total of 234 multiparous sows were bred and started on 1 of 4 dietary treatment according to parity and body condition, and then maintained on feed until 21-d postpartum. At farrowing and at weaning, 8 piglets per treatment (1 piglet/litter) were selected on similar body weight and sampled to ensure 6 piglet samples per treatment. The Se content was determined in serum, whole blood, umbilical cord blood and tissues, whereas antioxidant status of liver and serum were determined by analyzing the total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC), activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), and glutathione (GSH) and malondialdehyde (MDA) contents. The newly-born piglets from sows fed organic Se had higher Se contents in kidney (P 0.05) expect for hepatic Se content of newborns and serum Se content of 21-d-old piglets (P

This study aimed to evaluate the effects of 2 dietary selenium (Se) sources and 2 vitamin E levels during gestation and lactation on antioxidant status and reproductive performance in multiparous sows. The study was conducted in a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement with sodium selenite or Se-enriched yeast at 0.30 mg Se/kg diet each as the Se sources and vitamin E at 30 or 90 IU/kg. A total of 234 multiparous sows were bred and started on 1 of 4 dietary treatment according to parity and body condition, and then maintained on feed until 21-d postpartum. Serum samples were collected from 6 sows per treatment at d 30, 60 and 90 of gestation (G30, G60 and G90) and d 11 of lactation (L11) for the analysis of Se level and antioxidant status, i.e., total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC), the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), glutathione (GSH) content and malondialdehyde (MDA) content. Colostrum and 11-d milk were collected for the analysis of Se, antioxidant status and milk composition. Sows fed organic Se produced more live pigs (P 0.05). In conclusion, sow fed organic Se had improved the antioxidant capacity in serum and milk, the milk composition, and the number of pigs weaned compared with sow fed inorganic Se. However, antioxidant status and reproductive performance were not improved when vitamin E was added at 90 vs. 30 IU/kg, and no Se source × vitamin E level interaction was detected. Organic Se or elevated vitamin E in sows diet did not affect major parameter of sow reproduction.

Thirty-two, 17 weeks old, wether lambs (Chinese Poll Dorset × Small Tailed Han × Charolais), weighing 26.3 ± 1.2 kg, were used to evaluate effects of different Se levels and polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) sources in the diet on fatty acid composition and antioxidant status in plasma and liver. Lambs were divided into four groups and each was fed one of the following diets: 950 g basal diet/kg DM and 50 g linseed oil/kg DM (LO); LO plus 2 mg Se/kg DM (as sodium selenite) (LOSe); 950 g basal diet/kg DM and 50 g sunflower oil/kg DM (SO); SO plus 2 mg Se/kg DM (SOSe). The experiment lasted 50 days and lambs were slaughtered at the end of it. Concentrations of C18:2trans-10, cis-12 in liver, and C18:1trans-11 in plasma, increased with Se supplementation, which also increased concentrations of C20:4 in lambs fed the sunflower oil diet, but not in those fed the linseed oil diet, in both plasma and liver. Fatty acid composition in plasma and liver reflected the dietary fatty acid source. Lambs fed the linseed oil diet had higher concentrations of C18:3n-3, C20:5n-3 and C22:6n-3. In contrast, lambs fed the sunflower oil diet had higher concentrations of conjugated linoleic fatty acid, C18:2n-6 and C20:4n-6. Antioxidant status increased with Se supplementation, but was not affected by PUFA source in the diets. Results indicate the possibility of increasing the PUFA deposition by combining Se with PUFA in lamb diets, and that Se increased concentrations of C20:4n-6 more efficiently when combined with the sunflower oil diet versus the linseed oil diet.

Two experiments were conducted to study the effects of different inclusion levels of dietary cobalt (Co) on performance, nutrient digestibility and plasma metabolites in lambs. Experiment 1: sixty, 12-week-old weaned lambs (Chinese Poll Dorset × Small Tailed Han) were randomly divided into five groups which were fed with the basal diet containing 0.086 mg Co/kg DM, the basal diet supplied, respectively, with 0.25, 0.50, 0.75 and 1.00 mg Co/kg DM as reagent grade CoSO4·7H2O for 10 weeks. Experiment 2: four lambs from each group in Experiment 1 were randomly allocated to the individual metabolic crates to measure the effects of dietary Co on apparent nutrient digestibility. Average daily gain and average daily feed intake were highest at the intermediate level (total diet Co of 0.586 mg/kg DM) (P