title: Selenium-methionine and chromium-methionine supplementation of sheep around parturition: impacts on dam and offspring performance.
abstract: To examine the effects of maternal energy restriction along with selenium-methionine (Se-Met) and chromium-methionine (Cr-Met) supplementation on performance of pregnant sheep and their offspring, the following treatments were allotted randomly to 40 multiparous Baluchi ewes (53.9 ± 1.15 kg of body weight [BW]) from 5 weeks prior to 5 weeks after parturition: (1) Control diet (60% and 100% of NRC energy requirements in pre- and post-partum, respectively); (2) Control diet plus 5 mg Se-Met/kg dry matter (DM); (3) Control diet plus 3 mg Cr-Met/kg DM and (4) Control diet plus 5 mg Se-Met and 3 mg Cr-Met/kg DM (Se-Cr-Met) of concentrate diet. The results indicated that Cr-Met alone or in combination with Se-Met increased average DM intake of ewes. In addition, Group Cr-Met had higher average BW than the Control (p < 0.05). Se-Met and/or Cr-Met supplementation led to decreased average serum cholesterol of the ewes (p < 0.05). Groups Cr-Met and Se-Cr-Met displayed decreased average serum malondialdehyde compared to the Control (p < 0.05). At 24 h post-partum, Group Se-Cr-Met had a greater serum Se content than the Control (p = 0.006). Compared with the Control, the Se concentration in milk was significantly increased from 30 to 138 µg/l and 197 µg/l in Groups Se-Met and Se-Cr-Met, respectively (p < 0.01), which proved that Se-Met supplementation can increase the Se concentration of ewe milk. Furthermore, feeding Cr-Met may attenuate BW loss post-partum and Se-Met and/or Cr-Met supplements may ameliorate oxidative stress condition in ewes around parturition.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Animal Sciences, Faculty of Agriculture , University of Jiroft , Jiroft , Iran.|b Department of Animal Sciences, Faculty of Agriculture , Ferdowsi University of Mashhad , Mashhad , Iran.
authors.forename: Amir
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mousaie
authors.affiliation: b Department of Animal Sciences, Faculty of Agriculture , Ferdowsi University of Mashhad , Mashhad , Iran.
authors.forename: Reza
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Valizadeh
authors.affiliation: c Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Sciences , Ferdowsi University of Mashhad , Mashhad , Iran.
authors.forename: Mahmoud
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Chamsaz
mesh_terms: D000821:Animal Feed / Q000032:analysis; D000818:Animals; D002857:Chromium; D004032:Diet / Q000662:veterinary*; D019587:Dietary Supplements / Q000032:analysis; D002149:Energy Intake; D005260:Female; D008715:Methionine; D018384:Oxidative Stress; D011247:Pregnancy; D011897:Random Allocation; D012098:Reproduction; D012643:Selenium; D034561:Sheep, Domestic / Q000254:growth & development / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D002857:Chromium; D008715:Methionine; D012643:Selenium
keywords: Baluchi (sheep breed); chromium; ewe feeding; milk; organic compounds; oxidative stress; performance; selenium