Effect of Selenium Fertilization on Selenium in Feedstuffs and Selenium, Vitamin E, and ß-Carotene Concentrations in Blood of Cattle

¹ Department of Basic Veterinary Sciences, University of Veterinary Medicine, FIN-00580 Helsinki, Finland
² Department of Clinical Nutrition, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, S-75007 Uppsala, Sweden

Selenium (n = 561, total vitamin E, and homologues of natural vitamin E in feedstuffs (n = 52) and the concentrations of Se (n = 241), vitamin E (n = 244), and ß-carotene (n = 227) in blood were measured. The mean (±SDI Se content in hay, grass silage, oats, and barley produced using fertilizers enriched with Se was 0.13 (±0.1691, 0.17(±0.704), 0.23 (±0.107) and 0.21 (±0.119) mg/kg of DM, respectively, and the mean (±SDI vitamin E contents, calculated as dl--tocopherol acetate equivalents, were 39.7 (±13.01, 120.0 (±40.271, 24.4 (±3.83) and 34.5 (±3.57) IU/kg of DM, respectively. The mean Se concentrations in whole blood of cows, heifers, bulls and calves fed hay (n = 621, silage (n = 1111, or pasture (n = 68) varied from 183 to 244 µg/l. The mean concentrations of total vitamin E in serum of lactating cows fed hay (n = 21), silage (n = 29) or pasture (n = 26) were 2.8 (±1.431, 6.5 (±3.03) and 8.2 (±2.64) mg/l, respectively. For calves, concentrations of vitamin E in serum were as low as 0.25 mg/L. The mean concentration of ß-carotene in serum of lactating cows fed grass silage (n = 26) or pasture (n = 28) was 13.7 (±6.61) and 15.4 (±6.15) mg/L, respectively, but, in lactating cows fed hay (n = 201, concentrations were 2.5 (±1.07) mg/L.

Key Words: selenium • vitamin E • homologues • ßbeta;-carotene

Submitted on May 15, 1995
Accepted on December 27, 1995