Influence of selenium and vitamin E on broiler meat quality and yield | Uticaj selena i vitamina E na kvalitet i prinos trupova brojlera

In this paper effects of broiler meal supplementation with organic and inorganic forms of selenium and different amounts of vitamin E on broiler meat quality and meat yield were monitored. The experiment was carried out on total number of 240 animals divided into 4 groups, lasted for 42 days and was divided into 3 phases. First phase lasted 21, second 14 and third lasted seven days. Broilers were fed with three types of complete feed mixtures of common raw material and chemical composition fro broiler feeding that met or exceeded the nutrient recommendations for growing broilers (NRC, 1998). Complete starter feed mixture was used from the 1st to the 21st day, mixture for growth from the 21st till the 35th day and mixture for final growth from the 35th till the 42nd day respectfully. During the experiment, control group of broilers (C) was fed with supplemented inorganic selenium (sodium selenite) 0.3 mg/kg with the addition of 20 IU of vitamin E, experimental group (E-I) was fed with meal supplemented with organic selenium (Sel-Plex) 0.3 mg/kg with 20 IU vitamin E added while experimental group (E-II) was fed with meal supplemented with 0.3mg/kg inorganic selenium (sodium selenite) and 100 IU of vitamin E. At the end of experiment (42nd day), content of selenium in breast meat was from 0.34 mg/kg to 0.43 mg/kg. Concentration of selenium in E-III group was significantly higher (p is less than 0.01) compared to group that was fed with inorganic selenium and the control group. Concentration of selenium in broiler liver ranged on the 42nd day of the experiment from 0.50 to 0.63 mg/kg which was significant when compared between groups (p is less than 0.01). The lowest meat yield was determined in control group (65.31%), and the highest in E-III group (69.24%). Control group had significantly lower meat yield (p is less than 0.01) compared to E-III group which was fed with organic (0.3 mg/kg) selenium and 100 IU of vitamin E. Percentage of muscle tissue in E-III group was 72.85% which is significantly higher (p is less than 0.05) compared to control group of broilers (69.53%). Percentage of breast skin was significantly higher (p is less than 0.01) in control (9.64%) compared to experimental groups (E-I 6.86%, E-II 7.34%, E-III 7.35%). Addition of organic selenium and high amounts of vitamin E in broiler feed mixtures gives the possibility for achievement of better quality meat and higher meat yield.