Selenium and Vitamin E Deficiency in Pigs

Abstract

The effect of selenium (Se) and vitamin E (Vit. E) on reproductive performance, growth and health was studied in pigs. Two levels of Se were used, 0.03 and 0.06 nag per kg feed. The major component of the experimental diets was barley originating from soil which had formerly produced crops with a very low content of Se. Prior to seeding, the area was divided into 2 plots, 1 of which was treated with Se in the form of sodium selenite, 100 g Se per ha. The use of Se enriched fertilizer was an effective way of increasing the Se concentration of the grain. Thus the concentration of Se in the barley produced on the treated area was 5 times higher than in barley from the untreated one.

Vit. E was added at a level of 30 i.u. per kg feed, and the concentrations were approx. 15 and 45 i.u. in the basal and experimental diets, respectively.

The higher level of Se or Vit. E was not significantly associated with milk yield of the sow, litter size, birth weight or haemoglobin levels. However, there was a tendency to an increase in milk yield of the sows following additions of Se plus Vit. E, and litter size was slightly higher from sows which had received an addition of Vit. E. The concentration of Se and Vit. E was much higher in colostrum than in sow milk, and additions of dietary Se and Vit. E were associated with marked increases in the concentrations of these compounds in both colostrum and sow milk. There was a moderately improving effect of a high Se concentration in feed on growth rate and feed utilization. Low dietary levels of Se and Vit. E were followed by increased mortality rate in piglets; iron toxicity in connection with iron treatment was observed in piglets on low dietary Vit. E. Symptoms characteristic of PSE were not observed in the Se and Vit. E deficient pigs.

Sammendrag

Virkningen af perorait tilført seien (Se) og vitamin E (Vit. E) på vækst og reproduktion hos svin er blevet undersøgt. To niveauer af Se blev anvendt, nemlig 0,03 og 0,06 mg Se pr. kg foder, og inden for hvert Se niveau blev givet 2 mængder af Vit. E, 15 og 45 i.e. pr. kg foder.

Hverken Se eller Vit. E havde signifikant indflydelse på søernes mælkeydelse, kuldstørrelsen, grisenes fødselsvægt eller hømoglobinværdierne ved fødsel, ved 3 og 8 ugers alderen. Dog var der en tendens til en højere mselkeydelse hos søer, der fik den største mængde af Se og Vit. E i foderet, og kuldene var lidt større fra de søer, der fik foder med den højeste koncentration af Vit. E.

Koncentrationen af Se og Vit. E var langt højere i kolostrum end i mælk. Tilskud af Se og Vit. E i foderet havde en udtalt forøgende effekt på koncentrationen af disse næringsstoffer både i kolostrum og mælk.

Lav Se og Vit. E i sæernes foder og i mælken bevirkede, at pattegrisedødeligheden steg. Hos pattegrise fra søer på det lave niveau af Vit. E blev der konstateret nogle tilfælde af forgiftninger i forbindelse med parenteral indgift af jern som forebyggende middel mod anæmi. PSE (Pale Soft Exudative) fænomenet blev ikke observeret i forsøget og kan sandsynligvis ikke blive associeret ved mangel på Se eller Vit. E i foderet.