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ARS Home » Pacific West Area » Dubois, Idaho » Range Sheep Production Efficiency Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #158663
Title: EFFECT OF DIETARY ORGANICALLY BOUND SELENIUM AND D-A-TOCOPHEROL ACETATE BOLUS ON SERUM ANTIOXIDANTS STATUS OF TRANSIT STRESSED WETHER LAMBS

Author
item CHIRASE, NORBERT - TEXAS AG EXPT STN
item Taylor, Joshua - Bret
item THELEN, TONYA - UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA

Submitted to: Journal of Animal Science Supplement
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 6/30/2003
Publication Date: 7/1/2003
Citation: Chirase, N.K., Taylor, J.B., Thelen, T. Effect of dietary organically bound selenium and D-a-tocopherol acetate bolus on serum antioxidants status of transit stressed wether lambs. Journal of Animal Science. 2003. v. 81. p. 14.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Animals often encounter many stressors and pathogens associated with current production systems which could compromise the antioxidant and immune defense systems. An experiment was conducted to determine the effects of pretransit dietary Se (provided by wheat grain; Se = 6.1 mg/kg) and daily D-a-tocopherol acetate bolus (TOCO; 3.8 IU/kg BW) on pre- and postransit serum free retinol (VitA), a-tocopherol (aVitE), g-tocopherol (gVitE), Se concentrations (ug/ml), and partial antioxidant capacity (PACA) of wether lambs. Twenty-nine lambs (BW = 27 ± 0.36 kg) of similar type and origin were weaned, stratified by BW; assigned randomly to and fed one of the following treatments: adequate Se (< 0.3 mg/kg), no TOCO (CON; n = 9); high Se, no TOCO (HSE; n = 9); adequate Se, TOCO (HVE; n = 5); high Se, TOCO (SEVE; n = 6). Diets for all treatments were of similar nutrient composition, isonitrogenous and isocaloric. Lambs were fed the diets for 20 d pretransit and fed a common diet for an additional 21 d posttransit. Blood samples were taken on d 0, 7, 14 and 20 d and the serum harvested was used for Se, VitA, aVitE, gVitE and PACA assays. On d 21, lambs were transported (864 km) by truck and a trailer for 12 h after 24 h of fasting. Sampling and analysis procedures were repeated every 7 d for 21 d posttransit. The data were analyzed using Mixed Models procedures of SAS. Weaning stress (7 d post weaning) depressed (P < 0.05) serum aVitE concentrations and PACA of all treatment groups, except those fed SEVE. Lambs fed HVE and SEVE had 1.6 and 2.0 times greater (P < 0.01) serum aVitE concentrations than those fed CON or HSE pretransit, respectively but decreased (P < 0.05) posttransit. Serum Se increased linearly pretransit, and subsequently decreased posttransit in HSE and SEVE fed groups. Weaning and transit stress altered serum antioxidant concentrations of lambs.