Effects of different levels of dietary hydroxy-analogue of selenomethionine on growth performance, selenium deposition and antioxidant status of weaned piglets.

This study was conducted to assess the effects of the hydroxy-analogue of selenomethionine (HMSeBA) on growth performance, selenium (Se) deposition and antioxidant status of piglets. In a 28-d experiment, 252 piglets were assigned into seven treatments. These treatments were a negative control (Con-, basal diet without supplement Se), a positive control (Con+, basal diet + 0.3 mg Se from sodium selenite per kg), and five HMSeBA groups (basal diet + 0.1, 0.2, 0.3, 0.4 and 0.5 mg Se/kg from HMSeBA, respectively). Results showed that dietary HMSeBA supplementation did not affect growth performance of piglets. However, HMSeBA supplementation increased the Se concentrations in serum, liver, kidney and muscle compared with groups Con- and Con+ (p < 0.05). Compared with group Con-, supplementation with 0.2 and 0.4 mg Se from HMSeBA increased serum total antioxidant capability (T-AOC) and addition of 0.4 and 0.5 mg Se from HMSeBA increased serum glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) activities (p < 0.05). Compared with group Con-, the addition of 0.1, 0.2, 0.4, 0.5 mg Se from HMSeBA increased GSH-Px activities and decreased malondialdehyde (MDA) contents in the liver, and 0.3 mg Se from HMSeBA increased T-AOC and GSH-Px activities in the liver (p < 0.05). Compared with group Con+, 0.3 mg Se from HMSeBA increased serum superoxide dismutase (SOD) and hepatic T-AOC activities, and decreased the serum MDA level (p < 0.05). In general, dietary HMSeBA supplementation could improve Se deposition in serum and tissue and antioxidant capacity of piglets, suggesting that HMSeBA could be an effective Se source for piglets.