Distribution of selenium in chicken tissues as affected by bursectomy.

An experiment was designed to determine if surgical bursectomy (Bx) of day-old chicks would alter the distribution or amount of selenium (Se) in chicken tissues. Sham-operated chicks and Bx chicks were fed a practical corn-soy diet with either no supplemented Se, selenite to supply .1 ppm Se, or selenomethionine to supply .1 ppm Se. Several chicks were killed at 10 and 21 days of age to determine tissue Se levels. At each time the remaining chicks were injected with sheep red blood cells (SRBC). The remaining chickens were killed at 56 days. Serum from Bx chicks caused no agglutination with SRBC, and the immunoglobulin content was decreased as compared to levels in serum of sham-operated chicks. The Se level of tissues increased as a result of time and Se supplementation (P less than .01). The Bx caused a small but significant (P less than .01) decrease in spleen Se level, but other tissue Se levels were not affected. The results suggest that the serum lymphocytes and immunoglobulins have only a passive function in Se metabolism and distribution in chickens.