• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.20 no.7
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• pp.1135-1155
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• 2007

Selenium is considered to be one of the most controversial trace elements. On the one hand, it is toxic at high doses and there is a great body of information related to environmental issues of Se contamination. On the other hand, Se deficiency is a global problem related to an increased susceptibility to various diseases of animals and humans and decreased productive and reproductive performance of farm animals. Optimisation of Se nutrition of poultry and farm animals will result in increased efficiency of egg, meat and milk production and even more important, will improve quality. From the data presented in the review it is clear that the main lesson which we have to learn from nature is how to use organic selenium in animal and human diets. Selenium-enriched yeast (Sel-Plex) is the result of such a lesson and it is just a matter of time before animal nutrition moves completely from using ineffective sodium selenite to organic selenium. Other lessons from nature will follow. Recent advances in genomics and proteomics, in association with descriptions of new selenoproteins, will be a driving force in reconsidering old approaches related to Se nutrition. Probably 90% of all Se research has been conducted with sodium selenite and we now understand that the natural form of selenium is different. The main advances in Se status assessment and Se requirements were established based on the activity of glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), an enzyme which for many years was considered to be the main selenoprotein. Recently it was discovered that it is only one of at least 25 various selenoproteins. Se research and practical applications are developing quickly and they are very exciting and promising.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.117-126
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• 1987

The effect of selenium and vitamin E on the incidence of retained fetal membranes(RFM) was evaluated in dairy cows raised in Kyonggi-do province from July through September 1985. Sodium selenite(0.1mg/kg of body weight) and vitamin E (1,000 IU) were simultaneously injected 21 days prior to the expected calving day to Holstein cows and the incidence in the treated group was compared with that in the non-treated control group. Serum levels of selenium, vitamin E, calcium, inorganic phosphorus and magnesium were also determined in the treated and the non-treated groups to compare the status of vitamin E and other minerals during periparturient period in the cows with RFM and the normal ones. The incidence of RFM was 34.5% in cows of the non-treated group (29 heads), whereas it was significantly reduced to 9.7% in cows of the treated group (31 heads) (p<0.05). Data for serum mineral concentrations showed that the prepartal inorganic phosphorus concentration was significantly lower in the RFM than in the not-retained group(p<0.01). As a result, the prepartal Ca/P ratio was significantly higher in the RFM group(p<0.01). It appears that a single injection of 0.1mg of sodium selenite per kg body weight and 1,000 IU of vitamin E 21 days prior to the expected calving day is an effective prophylactic for prevention of RFM, and that RFM may be related to imbalances in calcium and phosphorus metabolism.

• Animal Bioscience
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• v.34 no.4
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• pp.692-700
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• 2021

Objective: This study aimed to determine the effect of dietary selenium (Se) from Se-enriched kale sprout (SeKS), selenomethionine (SeMet), and sodium selenite (SS) on performance, carcass characteristics and Se concentrations in the tissues, and to study the relationship between Se concentrations in muscle and feather in growing quails. Methods: The 320 quails (7 d of age) were divided into four treatments, according to a completely randomized design. The treatments were T1: control diet; T2, T3, and T4: control diets plus 0.2 mg Se/kg from SS, SeMet, and SeKS, respectively. The performance, carcass characteristics, and Se concentrations in the tissues of quails were determined. Results: The results indicated no effect (p>0.05) of Se supplementation on performance, carcass characteristics and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) activity in breast muscle of quails. Supplemental Se from SS, SeMet, and SeKS increased greater (p<0.05) Se concentrations in breast muscle, liver, kidney, heart, and feather, compared to those of quails fed the control diet. Quails fed Se from SeMet had greater (p<0.05) Se concentrations in the tissues than quails fed Se from SeKS and SS. In addition, Se concentrations in breast muscle and feather of quails at 21 and 42-d-old were highly correlated (R2 0.714 to 0.756) (p<0.05). Conclusion: Performance, carcass characteristics and GSH-Px activity in breast muscle of quails were not affected (p>0.05) by dietary Se supplementation. The Se from SeMet was more effective in increasing Se concentrations in the tissues of quails than Se from SeKS and SS. Feather Se concentrations of 21 and 42-d-old quails can be used for assessment of Se bioavailability of Se sources.

• Applied Microscopy
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.411-420
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• 1996

A zinc-specific method (selenium method) has been employed to identify the zinc-containing cells in the cerebellum of the rats. When rats were allowed to survive 24 hours after the sodium selenite administration, zinc selenide reaction products formed in zinc-containing cellular boutons are retrogradely transported to the somata of those boutons. And the zinc selenide products accumulated in somata of the cells can be rendered visible by silver amplification of developer. Zinc-containing cells identified by the method were Bergmann glial and granule cells. Labeled zinc-containing cells were absent in molecular layer and white matter of the cerebellum. In ultrastructural level, the zinc selenide products were located in lysosomes of somata of the zinc-containing cells.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.229-236
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• 2007

This study was conducted to determine effects of different selenium (Se) sources on performance, carcass characteristics, blood measures (whole blood Se concentration and plasma glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) activity), and Se concentrations in tissues of finishing Hanwoo steers (Korean native steers). Twenty finishing Hanwoo steers (average body weight=536${\pm}$23.4 kg, average age=approximately 20 months) were allotted to treatments in four groups of five steers per pen for 16 weeks preceding slaughter. Treatments were control (CON), spent mushroom composts from Se-enriched mushrooms (Se-SMC), selenized yeast (Se-Y), and sodium selenite (SS). Dietary Se levels of all treatments except CON were 0.9 mg Se/kg on the dry matter basis. Body weight was measured at the first and final day of trial, and blood samples were collected to analyze whole blood Se concentration and plasma GSH-Px activity at 2, 4, 8, and 16 weeks. At the end of trial, steers were slaughtered to collect muscle and liver samples for their Se analyses, and carcass data were recorded. In terms of dry matter intake, body weight gain and carcass characteristics, no significant differences among treatments were observed. Whole blood Se concentrations were significantly higher (p<0.05) for Se-SMC and Se-Y treatments than for CON at each collection period, with no significant difference between SS and CON. For weeks 2 and 8, there was no significant difference for whole blood Se concentration between Se-SMC and Se-Y, but for weeks 4 and 16, Se-Y treatments were significantly higher (p<0.05) than Se-SMC. No differences were observed for plasma GSH-Px activity between Se-SMC and Se-Y. The Se concentrations in hind leg and liver were significantly different among treatments (p<0.05) and those in both tissues ranked the greatest in Se-Y, followed by Se-SMC, SS, and CON treatments. However, tissue Se concentration for SS was not different from that for CON. These results showed that feeding organic Se sources such as Se-SMC and Se-Y enhanced Se concentration in tissues, while SS, the most common supplement of inorganic Se, was inefficient in Se deposition. Even though Se-Y had a higher Se concentration in tissues than Se-SMC, replacing Se-Y with Se-SMC in diets of beef steers would be an inexpensive way to increase Se concentration in beef.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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• v.48 no.4
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• pp.603-610
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• 2006

This study was conducted to investigate the feeding effect of selenium provided by different sources on the physico-chemical properties of M. longissimus thoracis. Twenty Hanwoo steers(20～24 months, approximately 613kg) were assigned to 4 different feeding groups of each five, depending on the sources of selenium such as inorganic selenium(sodium selenite), organic selenium(Yeast, USA Sel-Plex), Se-SMC(Se-spent mushroom compost) and the control(no selenium). The selenium level in feed was 0.9 ppm for all groups except the control. Animals were fed with different feeding treatments for 12 weeks and slaughtered at National Livestock Research Institute. The inorganic selenium group had the highest cooking loss(CL. %) and followed by the Se-SMC group and organic selenium group. No significant differences in chemical composition, WB-shear forces, water-holding capacity(WHC) and sensory properties were found among the groups(P>0.05). There were 40% frequencies of grade A in the inorganic selenium group and followed by the organic selenium group(20%). Se-SMC group had 80% of frequencies for grade 1+ and followed by the inorganic selenium group(40%), whereas the organic selenium group and the control group had the 20% frequencies for grade 1+. From the results of this study showed that the selenium sources did not affect chemical composition, WHC and tenderness of Hanwoo steers. However, the inorganic selenium group had the highest cooking loss(%) and lowest pH when compared to the other groups.

• Preventive Nutrition and Food Science
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.35-39
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• 2007

This study was conducted to investigate the effects of soil selenium (Se) supplementation level on Se contents of green tea and milk vetch. Four different concentrations of sodium selenite ($Na_2SeO_3$) solutions (0.0, 3.3, 33.0 and 165.0${\mu}g/mL$) were prepared and one liter of each solution was well mixed with 10 kg of compost (cowpea soil) to give four different levels of Se-containing soil: $T_1$, 0; $T_2$, 33; $T_3$, 330; $T_4$, and 1,650${\mu}g$/100 g soil. Green tea plants and milk vetch were individually cultivated in those soils for 60 days. Se contents of freeze-dried green tea leaves were 6.87, 10.40, 12.04, and 20.19 ${\mu}g/g$, respectively; all of which were significantly different (p<0.05) from the others except for $T_2$ and $T_3$. The results showed that Se-contents of green tea leaves were increased 1.5$\sim$2.9 times as the Se level in the soil increased. Regression equation between Se contents in green tea (Y) and soil Se supplementation level (X) was: Y=0.007X＋8.857. However, Se contents in the milk vetch were increased significantly (p<0.05) more with the same treatments $T_3$ (74 ${\mu}g/g$) and $T_4$ (187$\mu$g/g) in comparison to those at $T_1$ (5.0 ${\mu}g/g$) and $T_2$ (12.0$\mu$g/g). The increases ranged from approximately between 2.4 to 37.4 times that of the control group. Regression equation between Se contents in milk vetch (Y) and soil Se supplementation level (X) was: Y=0.1063X＋15.989. The large difference of Se contents between green tea leaves and milk vetch would be attributed by the difference of protein contents between the 30% or higher protein-content of legumes and 15$\sim$20% protein of shrubs. The present study clearly indicates that green tea leaves and milk vetch can be enriched in selenium by supplementing the soil with Se. Therefore, Se-enriched green tea or milk vetch powder could be utilized as functional foods in Se-fortified green tea drinks or salads, or as food additives to enhance the daily intake of Se.

• Journal of Embryo Transfer
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.201-206
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• 2015

Selenium (Se) is an essential trace element for humans and animals, and several findings suggest that dietary Se intake may be necessary for bone health. Accumulating evidence indicates that Se compounds possess anticancer properties. Se is specifically incorporated into proteins in the form of selenocysteine and non-specifically incorporated as selenomethionine in place of methionine. This study evaluated protection by Se in the bone repair process in ovariectomized rats after irradiation. For such purpose, 80 ovariectomized female Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into 4 experimental groups: ovariectomized (Ov), Ov/Se, Ov/irradiated (Irr) and Ov/ Se/Irr. A bone defect was created on the tibia of all animals 40 days after ovariectomy. Two days after surgery, only the Ov/Se and Ov/Se/Irr rats received 0.8 mg Se/kg. Three days after surgery, only the Ov/Irr and Ov/Se/Irr rats received 10 Gy of X-rays on the lower limb region. The animals were euthanized at 7, 15, 22 and 29 days after surgery to assess the repair process, which was evaluated by analysis of trabecular bone number (Masson Trichrome) and birefringence analysis (Picrosirius). It was possible to observe a delay in the bone repair process in the ovariectomized/irradiated group and similarity between the ovariectomized, Ov/ Se and Ov/Se/Irr groups. Our findings suggest that sodium selenite may influence a radioprotective effect in the bone repair of tibia of ovariectomized rats without toxicity.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.31 no.12
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• pp.1939-1945
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• 2018

Objective: This study was conducted with the objectives to examine the impacts of inorganic selenium (Se) and different types and levels of organic selenium on the serum and tissues Se status and antioxidant capacity in broiler breeders. Methods: Five hundred and forty 48-wk-old Lingnan Yellow broiler breeders were randomly assigned to 6 dietary treatments, provided same basal diet (0.04 mg/kg of Se) with 0.15 mg/kg, or 0.30 mg/kg of Se from sodium selenite (SS) or from selenium-enriched yeast (SY) or from selenomethionine (SM). The broiler breeders were slaughtered after an 8-wk experiment. Results: The results showed that SM was better than SY and SS, 0.30 mg/kg level was better than 0.15 mg/kg level in Se deposition (p<0.05) in serum, liver, kidney, pancreas and muscle; in antioxidant status, organic selenium had better effects than SS in broiler breeders (p<0.05), but SM and SY had a similar result, and 0.15 mg/kg level was better than 0.30 mg/kg (p<0.05). Conclusion: The results demonstrated the evident advantage of supplementation of broiler breeders with 0.15 mg/kg SM, which improved tissue Se concentrations and antioxidant status, and can be considered as the best selenium source.

• Reproductive and Developmental Biology
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• v.38 no.3
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• pp.107-114
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• 2014

Oral exposure of humans by excess amounts of arsenic may cause disturbances of the reproductive system. In the present study, such exposure was modelled in rats, with the support of sperm principal parameters and histopathological observations. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into three groups where the group I was served as a normal control, group II was received sodium meta-arsenite as arsenic (10 mg/kg b.w/day) and a combination of sodium meta-arsenite and sodium selenite (3 mg/kg b.w/day) in group III. After 6 weeks, there was no significant change in testis weight and in total motility of all the three experimental groups, whereas, rapid moving spermatozoa, moderately moving spermatozoa and slow moving spermatozoa were significantly decreased in arsenic treated rats as compared to control rats. The other sperm principal parameters like progressiveness, average path velocity, straightness linear velocity (VSL), curvilinear velocity (VCL), straightness, linearity sperm head elongation ratio, area, linearity amplitude of lateral head department (ALH) and beat cross frequency (BCF) were found to be reduced in arsenic intoxicated rats. These results are not correlated with the histological studies. On oral administration of selenium ameliorated the adverse effects of arsenic as compared to arsenic alone treated rats. Our findings clearly demonstrate that administration of selenium could prevent some of the deleterious effects of arsenic in the testis.