Selenium balance in sheep with and without supplementation of sodium selenite

Abstract

Eight adult sheep of the Ideal race were placed in metalic metabolic cages and submitted to two treatments, A and B. The animals received 2.000 g per day of corn silage and 300 g of concentrate. For treatment A, 100 g of soybean and 200 g of corn meal; and for treatment B, 50 g of wheat bran which contains a rich source of organic selenium (Se). The sheep in treatment A received a selenium (Se) supplement of 0.050 mg, derived from sodium selenite diluted in water. The distribution of selenium (%) for the sheep in treatments A and B was, respectively: feces 40.10 and 52.69; urine 3.42 and 3.59; absorbed Se 59.89 and 47.30; retained Se 54.48 and 43.70. The selenium content in the diet was 0.143 and 0.131 ppm for treatments A and B, respectively. In the diet containing 30% of inorganic selenium, the absorption and retention were superior to that of the ration with 100% of inorganic Se.