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Research Article
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Influence of Sodium Selenite on Growth, Nutrient Utilization and Selenium Uptake in Cavia porcellus
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Mahima ,
A.K. Garg
and
Vishal Mudgal
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ABSTRACT
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A 70 day experiment on forty guinea pigs (Cavia porcellus) was conducted to find the influence of different level of sodium selenite (inorganic selenium supplementation) on growth, nutrient utilization and selenium uptake. The sodium selenite was supplemented into a basal diet at 0, 0.1, 0.2 and 0.3 ppm, respectively and the basal diet comprised of 25% ground cowpea (Vigna unguiculata) hay, 30% ground maize (Zea mays) grain, 22% ground gram (Cicer arietinum) grain, 9.5% deoiled rice (Oryza sativa) bran, 6% soybean (Glycine max) meal, 6% fish meal, 1.5% mineral mixture (without Se), ascorbic acid (200 mg kg-1) and 0.1 ppm Se to meet their nutrient requirements. Daily feed intake and weekly body weights were recorded. Intake and digestibility of dry matter, organic matter, ether extract, crude fiber and nitrogen-free extract as well as uptake of calcium and phosphorus, total body weight and average daily gain were similar (p>0.05) among the four groups. However, there was a trend of increase in Se absorption of the guinea pigs with the increasing levels of Se, in the groups given 0.2 and 0.3 ppm of Se. It can be concluded that requirement of Se in guinea pigs is 0.1 ppm, as supplementation of ≥0.1 ppm sodium selenite in the diet (having 0.1 ppm Se) did not enhanced their growth rate and nutrient utilization.
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Received:
May 11, 2012; Accepted: August 06, 2012;
Published: September 07, 2012 |
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INTRODUCTION
Recently, there has been a growing understanding that marginal trace element
deficiency is one of the major factor limiting health and productivity of the
animals. This is partly because of important physiological role of most of the
trace elements in the bodys disease resistance mechanisms. Along with
the quantitative aspects it has also been realized that mineral form is also
critical for its function and utilization in the body systems. Since, more than
half a century, Selenium (Se) was considered as an essential trace mineral for
animals viz., rat (Schwarz and Foltz, 1957) and birds
(Patterson et al., 1957) and play important role
in various biochemical functions in human as ell as animals like hepatoprotective
effect (Ghazi-Khansari et al., 2005; Rahimi
et al., 2012), antioxidant defense (Sharma,
2007; Fan et al., 2009; Ozdemir,
2011), immune function, reproduction protein turnover, growth performance
of the animals via thyroid metabolism (Jianhua et al.,
2000; Sharadamma et al., 2011) as it is a
component of enzyme type I deiodinase which is required for the conversion of
thyroxine in to more active triiodothyronine (Beckett et
al., 1987). It is an important component of antioxidant enzymes such
as glutathione peroxidase and thioredoxin reductase, thus regulating the bodys
glutathione pool (Tapiero et al., 2003).
At present, the recommended requirements of Se (0.15 ppm), for guinea pigs
(NRC, 1995) were based on the requirement established
for the rats, with the suggestion that they can be used till the requirements
for guinea pigs are established. However, in a study, the requirement of Se
for guinea pigs was recommended as 0.08 ppm (Jensen and
Pallauf, 2007). Scanty of information appear to be available in the literature
regarding the effect of selenium supplementation (as sodium selenite) on growth
rate, feed intake and utilization of nutrients in guinea pigs. In view of these
facts, the present study was conducted with the objective to evaluate the effect
of supplementation of selenium through inorganic (sodium selenite) sources at
different levels i.e., 0.1, 0.2 and 0.3 ppm on the performance of guinea pigs,
particularly on their growth rate, nutrient utilization and feed conversion
efficiency.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
General: Animal grouping, housing, feeding and management: Forty healthy
weaned domestic Guinea pigs (Cavia porcellus) with 144.3±2.04
g mean body weight were divided into four equal groups of ten animals each following
completely randomized design. The basal diet was formulated to meet the nutrient
requirement as per NRC (1995) (Table 1).
Guinea pigs allotted to group I (control) were fed only the basal diet, guinea
pigs allotted to groups II, III and IV were additionally supplemented with 0.1,
0.2 and 0.3 ppm of Se as sodium selenite, respectively. Ad libitum water
and about 10-20 g of available green fodder (berseem) was offered daily to each
animal to meet its vitamin A requirements. Experimental feeding lasted for a
period of 70 days including a three day digestibility trial. To find out the
daily feed (DM) intake, a weighed amount of the basal diet was offered daily
at 10:00 a.m. and residue left after 24 h was collected and quantified.
Body weight gain, digestibility trial and sampling and chemical analysis:
Animals were weighed at weekly interval in the morning before offering feed
and water throughout the experimental period to assess their growth rate. To
find out the influence of Se supplementation on intake and utilization of different
nutrients, a 3 day digestibility trial was conducted after 21 days of experimental
feeding on six animals randomly selected from each group and they were kept
and fed individually in plastic cages having the facility for individual feeding
and watering as well as faeces collection. During the digestion trial, amount
of feed offered, residue left and faeces voided in 24 h were daily quantified
and recorded for all the animals separately and a representative sample of each
was dried in a hot air oven at 100±1°C overnight and preserved (Schneider
and Flat, 1975) for further analysis. A suitable aliquot of feces was also
daily preserved in 20% sulfuric acid for the estimation of nitrogen/Crude Protein
(CP). The pooled dried samples were ground in a Willey mill to pass through
a 1 mm sieve and analyzed for proximate principles and phosphorous (AOAC,
2000) and calcium (Ca) (Talapatra et al., 1940).
Se contents in these samples were estimated from their mineral extracts with
the help of atomic absorption spectrophotometer (Model 4141, Electronic Corporation
of India Limited, Hydrabad, India) using air acetylene flame.
Statistical analysis: Data generated in the study were statistically
analyzed using analysis of variance (ANOVA) technique (Snedecor
and Cochran, 1989) and means were compared using Duncans multiple-range
test (Steel and Torrie, 1980).
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
The chemical composition of the basal diet offered to the animals in various
groups was having organic matter (88.61%), crude protein (22.41%), ether extract
(3.93%), total ash (11.39%), crude fibre (11.23%), NFE (51.04%), calcium (1.63%),
P (0.54%) and Se (0.1 ppm) on dry matter basis Table 1 which
were as per National Research Council recommendations (NRC,
1995). The Se analyses of our diets (Table 2) indicated
that the basal diet contained 0.1 ppm of Se. So, the group I (control) was having
Se 0.1 ppm while the group II, III and IV were having Se as 0.2, 0.3 and 0.4
ppm, respectively.
From the Table 3, it can be seen that there was no significant
difference in DM intake among the groups, indicating that Se supplementation
as sodium selenite up to 0.4 ppm level in the basal diet (containing 0.1 ppm
Se) had no adverse effect on the palatability and feed intake pattern of the
animals. Similar to our findings, no adverse effect on feed intake was observed
in hamsters (Julius et al., 1983; Birt
et al., 1986), poultry (Echevarria et al.,
1988; Payne and Southern, 2005a, b),
gilts (Mahan and Peters, 2004), piglets (Daza
et al., 2000), sheep (White and Somers, 1977),
buffalo calves (Mudgal, 2005), lambs (Kumar,
2006) with 0.1- 0.5 ppm Se (as sodium selenite) in basal diet. Contrary
to our findings, here are also few studies where supplementation of Se has adversely
affected the feed intake of the animals, as was observed in chicks supplemented
with 9 mg Se kg-1 diet (Echevarra i et al.,
1988).
Table 1: |
Chemical composition of the basal diet offered to guinea
pigs |
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Table 2: |
Comparison of supplemental with actual analyzed selenium levels
in diets* |
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*Analyzed Se levels in diets are the total Se levels reported
as basal (unsupplemented) level plus supplemental level |
Table 3: |
Intake and digestibility of nutrients and plane of nutrition
in different groups |
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But in that experiment, the level of Se supplementation was too high which
may have caused an adverse effect on feed intake of the animals.
DM digestibility among the four groups were found as 84.41, 83.89, 80.86 and
82.32% in groups I, II, III and IV, respectively Table 3 which
were statistically non-significant (p>0.05). Similar to our findings, no
effect on DM digestibility was reported in merino weathers (White
and Somers, 1977), sheep (Nicholson et al., 1991),
buffalo calves (Mudgal, 2005) and lambs (Kumar,
2006), on supplementation of Se as sodium selenite. However, contrary to
our findings, an improvement in DM digestibility was reported by supplementation
of 0.025, 0.050, 0.075 and 0.100 ppm Se (Adkins and Ewan,
1984) and 0.05 ppm Se (Glienke and Ewan, 1977) in
pigs. But, the probable reason for this improvement may be due to very low levels
of Se in the basal diets (Se deficient diet) used by these workers. Similarly,
the digestibility of Organic Matter (OM) was also comparable (p>0.05) among
the four groups which is in agreement with the earlier reports in sheep (Nicholson
et al., 1991; Kumar, 2006) and buffaloes (Mudgal,
2005; Mudgal et al., 2008). There was no
significant difference (p>0.05) in the digestibility of Crude Protein (CP)
among the four groups which is in accordance to the earlier studies in male
Holstein calves (Nicholson et al., 1991) and
buffalo calves (Mudgal et al., 2008). It was
further observed that the digestibility of EE, Crude Fiber (CF) and nitrogen-free
extract (NFE) was also comparable (p>0.05) among the four groups (Table
3). Similar to our findings, there was no effect on digestibility of EE
and different fiber fractions (neutral detergent fiber, acid detergent fiber,
hemicellulose and cellulose) in growing lambs (Kumar, 2006)
and male buffalo calves (Mudgal et al., 2008)
supplemented with 0.15 and 0.3 ppm Se, respectively. In contrast to our observations
(Glienke and Ewan, 1977) found an improved digestibility
of EE in 0.05 ppm Se supplemented pigs. But, probably it was due to Se deficient
basal diet used by these workers, because on supplementation of 0.1 ppm Se,
there was no further improvement in the EE digestibility over 0.05 ppm group.
However, the basal diet used in our study was having 0.1 ppm Se which might
have been sufficient for optimum utilization of EE, CF and NFE and therefore,
further supplementation of Se in the diet had no effect on the digestibility
of these nutrients in our study. There were no significant difference (p>0.05)
in the intake of Organic Matter (OM), Crude Protein (CP), Digestible Crude Protein
(DCP), Total Digestible Nutrients (TDN), nutritive value (TDN and DCP) of diet
among the different groups (Table 3). The similar findings
were reported in earlier studies in which supplementation of 0.15 ppm (Kumar,
2006) and 0.3 ppm (Mudgal et al., 2008) Se
had no effect on intake of OM, CP, TDN and DCP and nutritive (TDN and DCP) value
of the diets in the lambs and buffalo calves, respectively. It indicated that
supplementation of selenium as sodium selenite up to 0.4 ppm level has no adverse
effect on plane of nutrition and nutritive values of diets in the guinea pigs.
The daily intake, amount absorbed and absorption coefficient of Ca and P were
similar (p>0.05) among the four groups (Table 4) which
were in agreement with Kumar (2006) and Mudgal
et al. (2008), who also reported no effect on Ca and P metabolism
with supplementation of 0.15 and 0.3 ppm Se in the lambs and buffalo calves,
respectively. The results indicated that supplementation of Se up to 0.4 ppm
level has no effect on Ca and P metabolism in the guinea pigs.
The daily Se intake among the four groups were found as 2.96, 6.14, 9.2 and
12.77 μg in groups I, II, III and IV, respectively (Table
4). The daily Se intake was significantly (p<0.05) increasing with the
increase in Se supplementation in diet which was obviously due to increasing
levels of Se supplementation in these groups.
Table 4: |
Intake and adsorption of Ca and P and Se in different groups |
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Means followed by different letters in a row differ significantly
at *p<0.05, **p<0.01, ***p<0.001 |
It was further observed that despite of significantly higher intake of Se
in groups II, III and IV, excretion of Se through feces was similar (p>0.05)
among the four groups, with the result, the amount of Se absorbed and absorption
coefficient were highest (p<0.05) in group IV, followed by group III and
group II and lowest in group I (control). Similar to our observations, at low
levels of Se supplementation, apparent Se digestibility was found to increase
with the increasing levels of dietary Se supplementation from 0, 0.25, 1.0 and
2.0 ppm in growing lambs (McClure and Mahan, 1988) and
with 5 ppm Se than with 0.3 ppm Se diets in pigs (Lowry
et al., 1985). Contrarily, Se concentration increased significantly
in feces in camels given an oral supplementation of 0, 2 and 4 mg Se for 3 months
but there was no difference between groups receiving 2 and 4 mg Se (Seboussi
et al., 2008). However, it may be due to very high levels of Se supplementation,
as compared to our experiment as ADG 2.88±0.24, 2.72±0.23, 3.00±0.17
and 2.99±0.21 g day-1.
The weekly body weights and growth performance of the guinea pigs in different
groups have been shown in Table 5. The Average Daily Gain
(ADG) among the four groups were found as 2.88, 2.72, 3.00 and 2.99 g day-1
in groups I, II, III and IV, respectively. The total body weight, Average Daily
Gain (ADG) were similar (p>0.05), among the four groups. Similar to our results,
no effect was observed on body weights of broilers fed 0.1 and 0.25 ppm of organic
and inorganic Se (Choct et al., 2004). Similarly,
there was no difference in body weight gains in broilers fed diets containing
0, 0.05 and 0.15 ppm Se from sodium selenite or selenomethionine (Spears
et al., 2003), in ducks with 0.1 and 1.0 ppm Se supplementation (Dean
and Combs Jr., 1981) and in lambs supplemented with 0.3 and 0.45 ppm Se
(Vignola et al., 2009).
CONCLUSION It can be concluded that requirement of Se in guinea pigs is 0.1 ppm, as supplementation of ≥0.1 ppm sodium selenite in the diet (having 0.1 ppm Se) did not enhanced their growth rate and nutrient utilization. However, supplementation of Se up to 4 ppm had no adverse effect on palatability, feed intake, plane of nutrition, nutritive value of diet, Ca and P metabolism, body weight and average daily gain in guinea pigs.
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