Effects of Dietary Supplementation of Sodium Selenite and Selenized Yeast on Selected Qualitative Parameters of Laying Hens Eggs

In this experiment the effects of supplementation of the diet of laying hens with sodium selenite (SS) or selenized yeast (SY) on quality of eggs were studied. The chickens of Shaver Starcross hybrid were randomly divided at the day of hatching into 4 groups (n=12 in each group). The birds were fed from Day 1 of life till 9 months of age with diets differing in amounts and/or forms of selenium. Control group received basal diet (BD) containing selenium naturally occurring in feeds (0.1 mg Se/kg of dry matter (DM)). First and second experimental group of chickens were fed with a same BD enriched with equivalent dose of Se 0.4 mg/kg DM in the form of SS or SY, respectively. The BD for the third experimental group was supplemented with SY at a dose 0.9 mg Se/kg DM. The supplementation of both forms of selenium into diet had a significant effect on the concentration of Se in blood of laying hens. Egg weight and egg albumen weight were significantly higher in the experimental groups with SY supplementation only. The supplementation of both forms of selenium into the diet of laying hens significantly affected the width of egg, egg albumen high, Haugh units (HU), egg yolk weight as well as egg yolk ratio. These results indicate that selenium supplementation into laying hens’ basal diet significantly influences the concentration of Se in blood of laying hens and most of the physical qualitative parameters of eggs.