The Effect of Dietary Selenium Source on Embryonic Development in Turkeys

Abstract

The objective of this study was to determine the effect of dietary selenium source on the growth and development of turkey embryos, and egg hatchability. White broad-breasted BUT Big 6 turkeys (1800 females and 150 males) were placed under optimum management conditions. Turkey diets were supplemented with organic selenium, and in the other with inorganic selenium, in the amount of 0.3 ppm. Eggs intended for incubation and examination were collected in week 2, 10, 18 and 23 of the laying season. The average egg weight was higher (p#0.05) in laying hens fed a diet with organic selenium than in layers receiving inorganic selenium. The rate of yolk sac retraction was faster in embryos from the group fed a diet with inorganic selenium, and it reached 0.59 of the complete yolk sac on day 25 of incubation (p#0.05). Selenium source had no effect on the hatching rates of fertilized eggs, which reached 79.61% and 79.84% in laying hens fed organic and inorganic selenium, respectively. In the flocks fed diets supplemented with organic selenium, dead embryos were more frequently characterized by problems with protein utilization (19.28%) and delayed pipping (10.83%). Embryo death rates at the first mortality peak were higher in layers fed inorganic selenium than in those receiving organic selenium (15% vs. 13.5%). The second embryo mortality peak occurred earlier (day 26) in laying hens fed inorganic selenium than in those fed organic selenium (day 28).

The effect of different dietary levels of vitamin E and selenium on antioxidant status and immunological markers in serum of laying hens

“…Payne et al (2005), whose results are consistent with our findings, observed a linear increase in egg weight as dietary Se levels increased. In a study by Stępińska et al (2012), the average egg weight was higher in turkey hens fed a diet with organic selenium than in layers receiving inorganic selenium.…”

Growth of embryo and gene expression of nutrient transporters in the small intestine of the domestic pigeon (Columba livia)

“…Embryonic growth in precocial birds has been widely investigated, for instance duck (Tangara et al, 2010), turkey (Stepińska et al, 2012), and chicken (Li et al, 2014). In contrast to precocial poultry, young pigeons, a typical representative of altricial birds, are feed with pigeon milk from the crop by parents for a few days.…”

Selenium and selenoproteins: their function and development of selenium‐rich foods

“…Stepinska et al . (2012) investigated the influence of dietary Se sources on the growth and development of turkey embryos. They found that the average egg weight was higher in laying hens fed organic Se than those receiving inorganic Se.…”

“…in animal feed and accumulate organic Se compounds in the body through animal enrichment to obtain Se-enriched products, such as Seenriched dairy products, Se-enriched eggs, Se-enriched honey, and Se-enriched meat products. Stepinska et al (2012) investigated the influence of dietary Se sources on the growth and development of turkey embryos. They found that the average egg weight was higher in laying hens fed organic Se than those receiving inorganic Se.…”