ANTIOXIDANT ACTIVITY, SE DEPOSITION AND GROWTH PERFORMANCE OF BROILERS AS AFFECTED BY SELENIUM-ENRICHED YEAST

Abstract

The purpose of this investigation was to study effects of using selenium-enriched yeast on productive performance, carcass composition, Se deposition in meat, some blood constituents and antioxidant activity of broiler chickens. One hundred fifty chicks of commercial broiler strain were divided into five groups, each group comprised five replicates (6 birds per replicate). The groups received a basal diet complemented with 0.2 (control), 0.3, 0.4, 0.5, or 0.6 ppm selenium (Se)/ kg diet. The experiment continued from one-day-old to five weeks of age. Data obtained illustrated that dietary treatments had insignificant effect on growth performance. Selenium (Se) concentration in breast muscles was increased by increasing Se-enriched yeast level in the diet, where the highest content of Se was in birds fed diet supplemented with 0.6 ppm Se/ kg (being 0.48 ppm /kg). Also, supplementing broiler diets with Se-enriched yeast resulted in higher activities of catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) than in control group. Conversely, plasma malondialdehyde (MDA) levels were significantly declined by increasing dietary Se levels. Concerning total antioxidant capacity (TAC) levels, groups received 0.3 and 0.4 ppm Se/ kg diet appeared significantly similar to control group. Levels of triglyceride (TG), total cholesterol (TC), as well as low-density lipoprotein (LDL-C) in plasma were decreased in all treated groups compared to control group. In conclusion, complementing broiler diets with Se-enriched yeast might be recommended to improve the antioxidant status and blood lipid profile.