title: Effects of dietary Selenomethionine supplementation on growth performance, antioxidant status, plasma selenium concentration, and immune function in weaning pigs.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  This study was designed to evaluate the efficacy of DL-selenomethionine (DL-SeMet) supplementation on growth performance, antioxidant status, plasma selenium (Se) concentration, and immune function of weaning pigs. 216 weaning pigs were randomly allocated to 6 treatments with 6 replicates each according to a complete randomized block design. Each replicate had six pigs. Diet of group one was corn-soybean basal diet without any additional Se supplement. Group 2 was supplemented with 0.3 mg/kg of Se from sodium selenite. Groups 3-6 were supplemented with 0.1, 0.3, 0.5, and 0.7 mg/kg of Se from DL-SeMet, respectively. The trial lasted for 42 days.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Pigs supplemented with 0.3 and 0.7 mg/kg DL-SeMet obtained better feed gain ratio (P < 0.05). The best antioxidant ability (serum, liver, and muscle) was shown in 0.1-0.3 mg/kg DL-SeMet groups (P < 0.05). The plasma Se concentration increased as the dietary DL-SeMet level elevated. The immunity among groups was not affected.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  DL-SeMet supplementation in the diet significantly improved the growth performance, antioxidant ability and plasma Se content of weaning pigs. DL-SeMet can replace sodium selenite in the diet of weaning pigs.
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition, Ministry of Agriculture Feed Industry Centre, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193 China.
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Cao
authors.affiliation: Novus International (Beijing) R & D Center, Beijing, 100085 China.
authors.forename: Fucun
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Guo
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition, Ministry of Agriculture Feed Industry Centre, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193 China.
authors.forename: Liying
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition, Ministry of Agriculture Feed Industry Centre, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193 China.
authors.forename: Bing
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Dong
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition, Ministry of Agriculture Feed Industry Centre, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193 China.
authors.forename: Limin
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Gong
keywords: Antioxidant status; Growth performance; Plasma selenium concentration; Selenomethionine; Weaning pigs