Effect of Se on selenoprotein activity and thyroid hormone metabolism in beef and dairy cows and calves

Abstract

Although Se is essential for antioxidant and thyroid hormone function, factors influencing its requirement are not well understood. A survey and two experiments were conducted to determine the influence of cattle breed and age on selenoprotein activity and the effect of maternal Se supplementation on cow and calf selenoprotein activity and neonatal thyroid hormone production. In our survey, four cowherds of different ages representing three breeds were bled to determine the influence of breed and age on erythrocyte glutathione peroxidase activity (RBC GPX-1). All females were nonlactating, pregnant, and consumed total mixed diets (Holstein) or grazed pasture (Angus and Hereford). In our survey of beef breeds, yearlings had greater average RBC GPX-1 activity than mature cows. In Exp. 1, neonatal Holstein heifers (n = 8) were bled daily from 0 to 6 d of age to determine thyroid hormone profile. An injection of Se and vitamin E (BO-SE) was given after the initial bleeding. Thyroxine (T4) and triiodothyronine (T3) concentrations were greatest on d 0 and decreased (P < 0.05) continuously until d 5 postpartum (156.13 to 65.88 and 6.69 to 1.95 nmol/L, d 0 to 5 for T4 and T3, respectively). Reverse T3 concentrations were 3.1 nmol/L on d 0 and decreased (P < 0.05) to 0.52 nmol/ L by d 5. In Exp. 2, multiparous Hereford cows were drenched weekly with either a placebo containing 10 mL of double-deionized H2O (n = 14) or 20 mg of Se as sodium selenite (n = 13). After 2 mo of treatment, Se-drenched cows had greater (P < 0.01) plasma concentrations than control cows (84.92 vs. 67.08 ng/mL), and at parturition, they had plasma Se concentrations twofold greater than (P < 0.05) control cows (95.51 vs. 47.14 ng Se/mL). After 4 mo, cows receiving Se had greater (P < 0.05) RBC GPX-1 activity than controls; this trend continued until parturition. Colostrum Se concentration was twofold greater (P < 0.05) in Se-drenched cows than control cows (169.97 vs. 87.00 ng/mL). Calves born to cows drenched with Se had greater (P < 0.05) plasma Se concentration, RBC GPX-1, and plasma glutathione peroxidase activity on d 0 compared with calves born to control cows. By d 7, no differences in plasma glutathione peroxidase activity in calves were observed. Maternal Se supplementation did not influence calf thyroid hormone concentrations. Selenium provided by salt and forages is not adequate for cattle in Se-deficient states.

Nutritional plane and selenium supply during gestation affect yield and nutrient composition of colostrum and milk in primiparous ewes1

“…Colostrum Se was increased with supranutritional dietary Se, similar to previous reports (Abdelrahman and Kincaid, 1995;Rowntree et al, 2004;Hefnawy et al, 2008;Swanson et al, 2008;Moeini et al, 2009). Additionally, Se remained increased in milk throughout the first 20 d of lactation, despite a decrease in both concentration of and total Se in milk.…”

Effect of vitamin E and selenium supplementation on antioxidant status of male buffalo (<i>Bubalus bubalis</i>) calves

“…At 45 th , 90 th and 180 th days, group II and group IV had signifi cantly (P<0.001) higher levels of Se as compared to group I and III, indicating that the plasma Se levels in the groups supplemented with Se was increased. Similar to our results various researchers reported that supplemental Se increased the blood levels of Se in young cattle bulls (Pherson and Johnson, 1985), Holstein cows (Weiss et al, 1990) and in Hereford cows (Rowntree et al, 2004). The activity of different antioxidant enzymes, i.e.…”

Comparison of the influence of different chemical forms of selenium and the profiles of CLA isomers in the diet on the fatty acid and amino acid contents in the liver and femoral muscles of rats

“…Selenium, in particular, has been utilized by biological systems because it endows proteins with unique coordination, catalytic and electron transfer properties (Rowntree et al, 2004;Suzuki, 2005). These properties have been employed by organisms in key functions in a variety of pathways, resulting in dependence of organisms on the chemical form and level of Se in diets.…”