Influence of selenium treatment on eimeriosis in turkey poults

The aim of present study was to compare the effect of Sel-Plex (Se yeast, Alltech, Nicholasville, KY) and sodium selenite on the content of liver vitamin A, C and E, Se, plasma malondialdehyde (MDA) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx)-activity in turkey poults infected with Eimeria adenoeides. Body weight gains, oocyst index and lesion scores were investigated as well. 10-day-old birds were divided into 4 groups: 1st group-control - on a regular no medicated starter diet, 2nd group-infected experimentally with E. adenoeides, 3rdgroup experimentally infected with E. adenoeides and on a diet supplemented with Sel-plex, and 4th group experimentally infected with E. adenoeides and on a diet supplemented with sodium selenite. On 8th day post infection vitamin A, C and E level, Se content, MDA level and GPx-activity in liver were measured. In addition body weight gain, oocyst shedding and lesion scores were examined. The results showed that eimeriosis caused oxidative stress in the infected birds expressed by reduced vitamin A, C and E levels, altered GPx-activity, low Se content and increased MDA content. Selenium substances supplementation increased Se level, GPx-activity, and vitamin A and E levels in the infected birds compared to infected untreated ones. There were no differences on the effect of the two sources on Se concentration in liver but GPx-activity was greater after sodium selenite supplementation. Eimeriosis reduced body weight gain and increased feed conversion ratio in the hosts. Feeding Sel-plex or sodium selenite reduced significantly oocyst shedding and lesion scores in the infected birds. Body weight gains were non-significantly higher in the group with Sel-plex supplementation versus non-supplemented or sodium selenite supplemented ones. The results demonstrated that Se is very important for the antioxidant defense system of turkey poults infected with eimeriosis and partially protect from negative growth effects associated with it.