title: Selenium-Fertilized Tritordeum (× Tritordeum Ascherson et Graebner) as Dietary Selenium Supplement in Laying Hens: Effects on Egg Quality.
abstract: The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of adding selenium (Se) in cereal production by fertilization on Se concentration in laying hen eggs. Tritordeum (×Tritordeum Ascherson et Graebner), a new cereal from the cross between durum wheat and a wild barley species having accreditation as natural crop species, was produced using selenate as Se-fertilizer. Hy-Line Brown laying hens were randomly allocated to two dietary treatments and fed for 10 weeks. Hens were fed two corn-soybean meal-based diets comprising a control basal diet including Tritordeum (100 g/kg diet) cv. Aucan grown without Se fertilization (containing background Se only from premix supplying 1,0 times birds' requirements) and a test-diet containing Se-enriched Tritordeum at the same level of the control diet. No difference was observed among dietary treatments on feed consumption and efficiency, egg mass, and laying rate, whereas egg yolk Se and vitamin E contents as well as liver and plasma Se levels were significantly influenced by dietary Se-enriched Tritordeum. Based on our findings, Se-enriched Tritordeum improved egg quality without affecting hens' productive performance. Thus, Se-fertilized Tritordeum may represent a valuable natural source of Se compared to conventional dietary supplements.
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency and Organ Transplantation, Section of Veterinary Science and Animal Production, University of Bari 'Aldo Moro', S.P. per Casamassima km 3, 70010, Valenzano, Italy. vincenzo.tufarelli@uniba.it.
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Tufarelli
authors.affiliation: Department of Agro-Environmental and Territorial Sciences, University of Bari 'Aldo Moro', 70125, Bari, Italy.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Cazzato
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Bari 'Aldo Moro', 70010, Valenzano, Italy.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ceci
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency and Organ Transplantation, Section of Veterinary Science and Animal Production, University of Bari 'Aldo Moro', S.P. per Casamassima km 3, 70010, Valenzano, Italy.
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Laudadio
mesh_terms: D000821:Animal Feed; D000818:Animals; D002645:Chickens / Q000378:metabolism*; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D004531:Eggs; D005260:Female; D005308:Fertilizers; D019684:Magnoliopsida / Q000254:growth & development*; D012643:Selenium / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D005308:Fertilizers; D012643:Selenium
keywords: Egg quality; Laying hens; Selenium; Tritordeum