The Influence of Selenium Administration on Copper Levels and Growth of Lambs

Abstract

Summary An experiment was carried out to investigate the influence of the oral administration of selenium on copper levels and growth of lambs. The results obtained indicate that small oral selenium doses improved growth and increased the copper levels in various organs, blood, serum and wool to slightly above the normal values. Zusammenfassung Der Einfluß der Selenverabreichung auf den Kupferspiegel und das Wachstum von Lämmern Die orale Verabreichung von kleinen Selen‐Dosen verstärkten das Wachstum und erhöhten den Kupfergehalt in verschiedenen Organen sowie im Blut, Blutserum und in der Wolle. Résumé Effet de l'administrattion de sélénium sur le taux du cuivre et la croissance chez les agneaux L'administration orale de faibles doses de sélénium améliore la croissance et augmente légèrement la teneur en cuivre dans différents organes, ainsi que dans le sang, le sérum et la laine. Resumen El influjo de la administración de selenio sobre los niveles de cobre y el crecimiento de los corderos La administración oral de dosis pequeñas de selenio incrementaba el crecimiento y aumentaba el contenido en cobre en órganos diversos, sangre, suero sanguíneo y lana.

Effect of Different Levels of Selenium Supplementation on Growth Rate, Nutrient Utilization, Blood Metabolic Profile, and Immune Response in Lambs

“…However, there was a 15% higher live weight gain by oral intra ruminal Se pellet infusion in yearling heifers [44]. Similarly, Se supplementation at 0.5 and 1 mg/head for successive 3 days at 11 day's interval for 6 weeks improved the growth rate of the lambs [3]. Significantly higher growth rate was observed in the animals supplemented with 5 mg Se/month in 20 trials and 1 mg Se/kg live weight in four other trials for 152-196 days [45].…”

“…It is a component of glutathione peroxidase enzyme [1], which destroys free radicals in the cytoplasm [2]. It has been demonstrated that selenium protects the tissues against oxidative damage [3,4]. Selenium has also been shown to improve immune responses [5] as it is required for the development and expression of non-specific humoral and cell-mediated immune responses.…”

Selenium Copper Interaction in Goats

“…After injection of Se (selenite) the Cu content of the liver in the present goats and in lambs on Cu-deficient diets increased, whereas (26), in slaughterhouse material, did not find any correlation between Se and Cu concentrations in sheep livers. Similarly, (27) and (28) found that Se given orally had little or no effect on liver Cu concentrations in sheep. In both these studies, however, liver Cu levels were within the normal range for sheep and were not increased to toxic levels.…”