Effect of dietary organic selenium on egg and tissue selenium and glutathione peroxidase in broiler breeders

An experiment was conducted to compare the effect of selenium sources on performance, Se incorporation into certain poultry tissues (blood, liver and breast muscle) and eggs, hatchability, glutathione peroxidase activities in tissues and eggs in broiler breeder. Broiler breeder hens were allocated to six diet treatments factorially arranged with three selenium sources (Sodium selenite, Selenium-yeast, and B-TRAXIMSe) and two levels of each source (0.1 and 0.3 ppm). Egg production was higher (P<0.01) in hens fed 0.3 ppm Se. Selenium contents in egg, liver, and breast meat were higher (P<0.01 or 0.05) in hens fed the higher level of selenium. Selenium content in yolk was highest in hens fed B-TRAXIMSe, whereas selenium content in albumen was highest in hens fed selenium yeast. However, there was no difference in combined selenium contents of yolk plus albumen. Selenium contents in liver and breast meat were higher in hens fed Se-yeast compared to hens fed other sources of selenium. Glutathione peroxidase activity (GPX) in liver and plasma was affected by selenium source but not by level. GPX in liver was higher in hens fed selenite or selenium yeast, and in plasma was higher in hens fed selenite compared to B-TRAXIMSe or selenium yeast.