Faixová, Z., ·. Faix, ª. Leng, P. Váczi, Z. Maková, R. Szabóová: Haematological, Blood and Rumen Chemistry Changes in Lambs Following Supplementation with Se-yeast. Acta Vet Brno 2007, 76: 3-8 The effects of feed supplementation with organic form of selenium (Se) on ruminal enzyme activities (ALT, AST, GGT, ALP and GDH), blood enzyme activity (GPx), serum enzyme activities (LDH, CK) and haematological indicators were examined in lambs. Ten animals were divided into two groups and fed experimental diets for 3 months. The first group received a basic diet (BD) providing a daily intake 50.6 µg of Se only. The diet for the second group consisted of BD supplemented with selenium 0.3 mg·kg -1 DM in the form of Se-enriched yeast and giving a total daily intake 278 µg of Se per animal. Lambs of the second group which were fed additional Se had increased concentrations of Se in plasma (P < 0.001), greater activity of blood glutathione peroxidase (GPx) (P < 0.001) and lower activity of creatine kinase (CK) (P < 0.05) in serum. The activity of alkaline phosphatase (ALP) (P < 0.001) and glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH) (P < 0.001) in ruminal fluid were found to be significantly higher in Se-yeast group of lamb compared with the group given BD with no differences for Se concentration in ruminal fluid and ALT, AST and GGT activities. Total erythrocyte count and osmotic resistance of red blood cells were significantly higher (P < 0.01) in selenium-supplemented animals. White blood cell count was increased in lambs given BD (P < 0.05). It was concluded that Se supplementation can influence ruminal enzyme activities and cell membrane resistance of lambs.

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The gastrointestinal tract, like the urinary, respiratory, reproductive tracts and the surface of the eye, has large surface areas which are in contact with the exterior environment. The mucosal tissues in the gastrointestinal tract are exposed to large number of exogenous, water or food born microbiota. Therefore, they serve as access routes for different types of bacteria, parasites, viruses, enzymes and toxins. In order to protect the mucosal tissues against pathogens and aggressive enzymes, which are necessary in digestive processes, they are covered by a resident microbial flora and also by a viscoelastic adherent mucous gel layer. The mucus layer acts as the first line of defense against threats and also as a positive environment for beneficial endogenous microbiota adapted for symbiotic living. The quantity and quality of mucus layers varies throughout the gastrointestinal tube and is often changed and disrupted during the occurrence disease. A disturbed mucus layer in the intestine can result in changes in the whole organism, such as: impaired immunity, loss of weight and weak food conversion, which is important, especially in food animals. That is why several researchers have focused on these changes, both in humans and other animals, to find out methods and countermeasures, which will facilitate the best protection for the mucus layer in the intestine. In this review, we describe the composition and function of the mucus layer and mucins in the intestine.

The experiment was conducted to evaluate the effect of feeding a diet supplemented with different forms of selenium on the rumen fluid, blood and serum enzyme activity and osmotic fragility of red blood cells in sheep. The experiment was carried out on 18 sheep of the Valashka breed at the age of 18 months, divided into 3 groups. The first group was given basal diet (BD) with a Se content of 0.17 mg/kg of dry matter (DM). The second group received BD supplemented with 0.4 mg Se/kg of (DM) in the form of sodium selenite. The third group received BD supplemented with 0.4 mg Se/kg of (DM) in the form of Se-yeast extract. Duration of the trial was 12 weeks. Selenium concentration in blood and total rumen fluid were elevated in both supplemented groups with the highest values in Se-yeast-treated sheep. Blood glutathione peroxidase (GPx) activity was significantly increased, regardless of the source of selenium. Osmotic resistance of red blood cells was not affected by selenium supplementation. The results indicate that feeding a diet supplemented with selenium from Se-yeast or selenite improved selenium status in blood and total rumen fluid. Selenium from sodium selenite was as effective as selenium from Se-yeast in the availability of selenium for the blood GPx activity. The effect of selenium supplementation on the ruminal enzyme activity depends on the selenium form; GGT and GDH were significantly higher in the Se-yeast supplement group, AST and ALP were significantly higher in the selenite supplement group. Rumen, blood enzymes, ruminantSelenium is an essential trace element which plays an important role in the antioxidative, reproductive, endocrine and immune systems of species.In most European Union countries the natural Se content in feed is only 0.03-0.12 mg/kg of dry matter (Pappas et al. 2008). The intake of such feeds can result in serious Se deficiencies and health problems especially in young growing and highly producing animals.For this reason commercial animal feeds are routinely supplemented with various Se sources up to the maximum European Union authorized total Se content of 0.5 mg/kg of feed.Currently, sodium selenite (Na 2 SeO 3 ) and sodium selenate (Na 2 SeO 4 ) as inorganic and selenium-enriched yeast (Se-yeast) as organic Se are principal selenium supplements of animal feed.It is established that selenocompounds from dietary inorganic and organic Se sources follow different metabolic pathways (Qin et al. 2007;Wang et al. 2009). Intestinal absorption of Se is much lower in ruminants than in nonruminants. For selenite, the absorption is 79% and 80% in poultry and swine, respectively, whereas only 29% in sheep. For selenomethionine and selenate the absorption is higher than 90% in monogastrics and poultry. Low absorption of selenium in ruminants is believed to result from reduction of dietary selenium (selenite and selenate) to unsoluble forms such as elemental selenium or selenides in the rumen environment (Mehdi et al. 2013).

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In this study the effects of Salvia officinalis L. essential oil on the thickness of the gut mucus layer and quantity of neutral and acidic mucins in chickens were observed. Oneday-old chickens of Isa Brown breed were divided into five groups (n = 9) and fed 11 weeks as follows: control group (C): basal diet; experimental groups (E1 - E4) - same as C + sage essential oil (EO) in concentrations of 0.01%; 0.025%; 0.05% and 0.1%, respectively. The thickness of the mucus layer in the duodenum significantly increased in E3(0.05% sage EO) compared to E1 (0.01 % sage EO). In E3 (0.05% sage EO) the number of goblet cells containing acidic and neutral mucins was significantly decreased in the duodenum and jejunum and increased in the ileum compared to C. Feeding the diet supplemented with Se and 0.01% sage EO (E1) decreased plasma cholesterol level in comparison with E3(0.05 % sage EO). The addition of 0.05% (E3) and 0.1% sage EO (E4) to the diet caused a decrease in calcium plasma level compared to E2 (0.025 % sage EO). Plasma glucose level was significantly decreased in groups fed 0.05% (E3) and 0.025% sage EO (E2) compared with 0.01% sage (E1). The weight of internal organs was not affected by the diets. Our results suggest that effects of sage EO on the adherent mucus layer dynamics and mucin type distribution in the chicken intestine are dependent on sage EO dose and intestinal segment and there is still a need for further studies in order to obtain a plausible explanation.

The aim of this study was to evaluate effects of modified glucomannan (Mycosorb®) on plasma chemistry of broiler chicks after deoxynivalenol (DON) inclusion in the diet from hatching to 6 weeks of age. Three groups of broiler chicks were formed with 14 birds in each group. The three diets included control (0.2 ppm deoxynivalenol), deoxynivalenol-contaminated (3 ppm deoxynivalenol) and deoxynivalenol- contaminated (3 ppm deoxynivalenol) plus Mycosorb®(2 g/kg diet). After 6 weeks of feeding all birds were sacrificed and blood samples for chemical analyses were collected. Serum calcium and alanine aminotransferase activity were significantly elevated and magnesium, total protein, triglycerides and free glycerol were decreased in chicks fed deoxynivalenol-contaminated diet compared with those fed the control diet. Inclusion of Mycosorb®in the diet decreased plasma alkaline phosphatase and alanine aminotransferase activities and reversed plasma levels of magnesium, triglycerides, free glycerol and total protein in chicks induced by dietary deoxynivalenol. Chloride level was not affected by diets. The inclusion of Mycosorb® to DONcontaminated diet, however, did not prevent or alleviate toxic effect on calcium metabolism. Supplementation of modified glucomannan Mycosorb® counteracted most of the plasma parameter alterations caused by deoxynivalenol-contaminated diet in chicks

The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of different sources of manganese (Mn) on the antioxidant status, some biochemical parameters and thickness of intestinal mucus in laying hens. Ninety-six 20-week-old hens of the Lohman Brown strain were randomly divided into four groups; each group was replicated six times with four hens per replicate. Hens in the control group were fed the basal diet (BD) with natural background Mn level of 45.5 mg/kg feed. For the three experimental groups, the BD was supplemented with 120 mg Mn/kg either from Mn-sulphate or Mn-chelate of protein hydrolysate (Mn-Bioplex) or Mn-chelate of glycine hydrate (Mn-Glycinoplex). After eight weeks of dietary treatment, a tendency towards increasing activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD) in the erythrocytes was observed in all experimental groups. The results showed that inorganic Mn source increased the glutathione peroxidase activity in the hens’ blood (P &lt; 0.05). The intake of Mn-Bioplex resulted in significantly increased total antioxidant status in the plasma of hens in the group (P &lt; 0.05) compared to the control group. The plasma biological antioxidant potential was increased in the treatment groups supplemented with Mn-sulphate (P &lt; 0.01) and Mn-Bioplex (P &lt; 0.05). The total cholesterol concentration was decreased (P &lt; 0.05) in the group fed the diet supplemented with Mn-Glycinoplex, as compared with the control. Moreover, the mucus layer thickness in the jejunum was reduced in the groups of birds fed with the organic form of Mn (P &lt; 0.001, P &lt; 0.05), as well as with the inorganic form of Mn (P &lt; 0.001). These results indicate that the addition of dietary Mn was effective in improving the biological antioxidant potential, decreasing total plasma cholesterol and reducing the thickness of adherent intestinal mucus gel in the jejunum of laying hens.