Effect of selenium sources on performance and meat characteristics of broiler chickens

Abstract

Selenium is an important mineral, required for many functions within animals, where it interacts with vitamin E, maximizing the efficiency of the vitamin as an antioxidant. In chickens, adequate intake of organic forms of Se may be linked to reduced drip loss in the final meat and to improved feather production. The present trial was conducted to examine the impact of feeding organic Se (Sel-Plex, Alltech Inc., Nicholasville, KY) to broilers on their productive performance, feather growth, and meat characteristics. Birds fed 0.3 ppm of organic Se had decreased drip loss from breast meat and lower levels of apparent liver damage (indicated by lower plasma concentrations of indicator enzymes). Feathering was improved at 21 d by feeding organic Se. © 2009 Poultry Science Association, Inc.