Effect of selenium fertilization on selenium in feedstuffs and selenium, vitamin E, and beta-carotene concentrations in blood of cattle.
Selenium (n = 56), total vitamin E, and homologues of natural vitamin E in feedstuffs (n = 52) and the concentrations of Se (n = 241), vitamin E (n = 244), and beta-carotene (n = 227) in blood were measured. The mean (+/- SD) Se content in hay, grass silage, oats, and barley produced using fertilizers enriched with Se was 0.13 (+/- 0.169), 0.17 (+/- 0.704), 0.23 (+/- 0.107) and 0.21 (+/- 0.119) mg/kg of DM, respectively, and the mean (+/- SD) vitamin E contents, calculated as dl-alpha-tocopherol acetate equivalents, were 39.7 (+/- 13.0), 120.0 (+/- 40.27), 24.4 (+/- 3.83) and 34.5 (+/- 3.57) IU/kg of DM, respectively. The mean Se concentrations in whole blood of cows, heifers, bulls and calves fed hay (n = 62), silage (n = 111), or pasture (n = 68) varied from 183 to 244 micrograms/l. The mean concentrations of total vitamin E in serum of lactating cows fed hay (n = 21), silage (n = 29) or pasture (n = 26) were 2.8 (+/- 1.43), 6.5 (+/- 3.03) and 8.2 (+/- 2.64) mg/l, respectively. For calves, concentrations of vitamin E in serum were as low as 0.25 mg/L. The mean concentration of beta-carotene in serum of lactating cows fed grass silage (n = 26) or pasture (n = 28) was 13.7 (+/- 6.61) and 15.4 (+/- 6.15) mg/L, respectively, but, in lactating cows fed hay (n = 20), concentrations were 2.5 (+/- 1.07) mg/L.
Jukola
E
E
Department of Basic Veterinary Sciences, University of Veterinary Medicine, Helsinki, Finland.
Hakkarainen
J
J
Saloniemi
H
H
Sankari
S
S
D000821:Animal Feed / Q000032:analysis*; D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants; D002417:Cattle / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D005308:Fertilizers; D007774:Lactation / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D009752:Nutritional Status; D012016:Reference Values; D012643:Selenium / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood*; D012820:Silage; D014810:Vitamin E / Q000097:blood*; D019207:beta Carotene / Q000097:blood*
D000975:Antioxidants; D005308:Fertilizers; D019207:beta Carotene; D014810:Vitamin E; D012643:Selenium