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The total selenium content of selenium-enriched agricultural products was determined by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry after microwave digestion. The total selenium content in the tes...

The aim of this study was to compare the effects of two Se sources on the early lactation of native goats, on nutrient digestibility, as well as nitrogen and energy status of Iranian native goats. Twenty-one native goats aged, approximately 41 ± 9 months and having body weights of 46 ± 8 kg were selected for the experiment. The goats were randomly divided into three groups with an equal number of goats. One group was supplemented with Selemax 2000® as the organic selenium (OS), the second group received diluted sodium selenite as the inorganic selenium, while the third group received no supplementation and served as the control group (C). The results of this research showed that the selenium supplement did not have a significant effect on nutrient digestibility (apart from crude fat) (P > .05) but, the dry matter, organic matter and crude protein intake significantly increased. However, faecal N, urinary N, total N production and energy status were affected by the treatments (P

This study evaluated the effect of dietary organic and inorganic selenium supplementation on chemical, mineral and fatty acid composition of ostrich meat. Forty ostriches were raised in two groups (OSe and IOSe, diets supplemented with an organic form and an inorganic form of selenium, respectively). The form of selenium had no influence on chemical composition of ostrich muscle. Although, there were no significant differences in total content of SFA, MUFA and PUFA, the content of LA and EPA was higher in the muscles of ostriches which were put on a diet supplemented with an organic form of selenium, what resulted in lower n-6/n-3 fatty acids ratio in OSe group (9.99) in comparison to IOSe group (11.70). The results of the study indicate that dietary organic selenium supplementation improves the quality of the ostrich meat as related to the health promoting properties (LA, EPA and selenium content) of meat.

Selenium has been recognized as an important element from the perspective of human health and environmental geochemistry because it is either essential or toxic depending on its concentration and c...

Tube-well water samples in several parts of the Northeastern region of Indian Punjab, where extensive cases of selenosis were reported earlier, have been analyzed for Se(IV) and Se(VI). The total s...

1. Selenium (Se) is an essential part of numerous selenoproteins, most of which are involved in the antioxidant system of the body. It is also required by poultry for the maintenance of optimal health and meat quality. This paper reports data from a study examining the effect of dietary source and concentration of selenium on broiler performance and meat quality. 2. Increased dietary selenium content markedly reduced feed conversion ratio (FCR) as a result of significantly lower feed intakes of birds while maintaining the same weight gains. 3. Selenium supplementation increased feathering, with organic selenium (selenised yeast) being superior to inorganic selenium (sodium selenite). 4. Birds receiving organic selenium in their diets had improved eviscerated weight, breast yield and reduced drip loss. 5. There were significant concentration x source interactions on yields of breasts and marylands (thigh plus drumstick), with elevated levels of organic selenium increasing the yields, whereas the opposite was true for the inorganic selenium.

Distribution and forms of selenium (Se) in paddy soil profiles were investigated. Data on the total Se content indicated that there was a distinct accumulation of Se in the B horizons, and that the content of Se was higher in the C horizons than in the A horizons. A significant difference in Se species between the upper and lower horizons was recognized. Since the amount of Se compounds with low molecular weight such as inorganic Se and Se bound with fulvic acids increased significantly in the lower horizons as compared to the upper horizons, it was assumed that Se was translocated in these soil profiles. Two mechanisms for the movement may be considered: (1) Inorganic Se released upon dissolution of iron oxides and iron hydroxides was translocated with percolating water. (2) Se compounds contained in fulvic acids were translocated with the movement of fulvic acids. In 6 out of 7 profiles, Se may have moved according to the first mechanism, whereas in the other one, both mechanisms may have been ...

The comparative toxicity of sodium selenate to five fungal genera isolated from natural systems was studied. Both strain and generic differences in the growth of fungi were noted when sodium selenate was added to sulfur supplemented medium. The production of dimethyselenide gas (DMSe) by these mycoflora did not strictly correlate with their relative toxicities to inorganic selenium.

Chemical forms of selenium were studied in a solution extracted from soil with water or sodium sulfate solution by means of gel chromatography. When the soil extracts were chromatographed on a Sephadex G-25 column, the selenium in the extracts was separated into high and low molecular-weight fractions. A large proportion of the selenium in both fractions occurred in an organically-bound form and a small amount of inorganic selenium was found in the low molecular-weight fraction. The distribution of selenium on the chromatogram agreed well with that of fluorescamine-reactive substances. It was considered that the selenium in the soil extracts was mainly contained in proteins, peptides or amino acids. In addition, the high molecular-weight fraction containing selenium extracted from an Andosol was found to be a polypeptide with a molecular-weight of about 3,200 and was assumed to be composed of about 29 amino acids.