Vitamin E supplementation does not mitigate the acute morbidity effects of porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus in nursery pigs

The objective of this study was to determine whether feeding a vitamin E-rich diet would benefit nursery pigs infected with porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV). Sixty-four pigs were subjected to one of four treatment combinations (2 x 2 factorial) of dietary vitamin E (adequate or excess) and PRRSV (medium or inoculation with VR-2385 isolate P-129). Pigs were fed experimental diets during a 3-wk period before inoculation as well as during a 12-d period after inoculation. Growth performance was determined throughout the study, and lipid peroxidation in liver, glutathione peroxidase (GPX) activity in serum, circulating white blood cells, and serum interleukin-1beta (IL-1beta) and interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) were determined in samples collected from pigs killed 4 or 12 d after inoculation. Infection by PRRSV (P < 0.001) induced a marked decrease in both ADFI and ADG, but neither the main effect of diet nor the diet x PRRSV interaction was significant. Neither diet nor PRRSV affected feed efficiency. At 12 d after inoculation, lipid peroxidation in liver and GPX activity in serum were lower in pigs fed excess vitamin E than in those fed adequate vitamin E (P < 0.01), suggesting that the diet high in vitamin E bolstered the antioxidant status of the pigs. However, PRRSV did not affect lipid peroxidation in liver or serum GPX activity, and the diet x PRRSV interaction was not significant. White blood cell counts were decreased and IFN-gamma, and IL-1beta were increased (P < 0.05) 4 and 12 d after inoculation in PRRSV-infected pigs, but neither diet nor the diet x PRRSV interaction was significant. Collectively, these results indicate that increasing antioxidant defenses by feeding high levels of vitamin E did not ameliorate the effects of PRRSV on decreased growth, leukopenia, and increased serum IL-1beta and IFN-gamma. Thus, feeding nursery pigs a diet high in vitamin E may not be useful for mitigating the acute morbidity effects of PRRSV infection.     

Effects of saturated and unsaturated fats with vitamin E supplementation on the antioxidant status of broiler chicken tissues

The influence of fish oil (highly unsaturated) and beef tallow (highly saturated) with vitamin E (100 IU/kg) supplementation on the antioxidant status of broiler chicken cockerels was investigated. Chicks were fed a control diet with no added fat, 40 g/kg each of fish oil and beef tallow diets, respectively, from 11 to 42 days of age. Tocopherol concentration and the rate of lipid peroxidation, thiobarbituric acid reactive substance (TBARS) in liver, fatty acid composition of the liver lipids, blood serum total antioxidant status (TAS), and reduced glutathione (GSH) content were determined. Vitamin E supplementation of the diet increased liver alpha-tocopherol content in chicks regardless of the type of dietary fat. Fish oil diet resulted in higher liver TBARS value while beef tallow diet showed lower values compared to the control diet. Vitamin E supplementation reduced liver TBARS as well as serum GSH, and raised serum TAS for all diets. Serum GSH was the same for vitamin E supplemented diets regardless of the fat supplement. Fish oil diets resulted in a significant increase in hepatic lipid n-3 PUFA content. A significant positive correlation was found between liver TBARS and n-3 PUFA content. No relationships were established, however, between liver TBARS and n-6 PUFA or saturated fatty acids. The results suggest that feeding oils rich in n-3 PUFA increases tissue concentration of these fatty acids, consequently increasing tissue lipid peroxidation and reducing the antioxidative status of broiler chickens. Supplementing high levels of vitamin E with such oils may increase tissue oxidative stability. Serum TAS or GSH may be used as a measure of antioxidative status in chickens.     

Dietary omega-3 fatty acid supplementation does not impair vitamin E status or promote lipid peroxidation in growing horses

Omega-3 (n-3; ω-3) fatty acids (FA) are often included in the diet for their potential health benefits. However, because oxidative potential is increased with the degree of unsaturation in vitro, polyunsaturated FA such as eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA; 20:5n-3) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA; 22:6n-3) may be at increased risk of lipid peroxidation. We aimed to determine the effects of dietary n-3 FA supplementation on antioxidant status and lipid peroxidation in yearling horses. Quarter Horses (mean ± SEM; 14.6 ± 0.2 mo) were randomly assigned to receive no n-3 FA supplementation (CON; n = 6) or 60 mg n-3/kg body weight from milled flaxseed (FLAX; n = 6) or encapsulated fish oil (FISH; n = 6). All horses received a basal diet of mixed grain concentrate fed individually at 1.5% body weight (dry matter basis) and ad libitum bahiagrass pasture forage. Blood samples were obtained before and after 70 d of supplementation to evaluate vitamin E, selenium, lipids, antioxidant status, and oxidative stress. Data were analyzed using a mixed model ANOVA with repeated measures. Supplementation with n-3 FA did not reduce serum vitamin E or Se and, in fact, elevated (P ≤ 0.0003) vitamin E status in FISH horses. At day 70, serum triglycerides were lower in FISH and FLAX horses than CON horses (P ≤ 0.02) and F2-isoprostanes were lower in FISH than CON horses (P = 0.0002). Dietary n-3 FA had no effect on cholesterol, reduced and oxidized glutathione, glutathione peroxidase, and thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances. In growing horses fed to meet their vitamin E requirements, supplementation with 60 mg n-3/kg body weight did not negatively affect vitamin E status or promote lipid peroxidation. Elevated vitamin E status in horses fed FISH, coupled with lower serum F2-isoprostanes, further suggest that the longer-chain, highly unsaturated n-3 FA, EPA and DHA, may actually attenuate lipid peroxidation.     

Antioxidants and lipid peroxidation levels of blood and cervical mucus in cows in relation to pregnancy

Levels of vitamins A and E, beta carotene and lipid peroxidation product (TBARS) were determined in plasma and cervical mucus of 32 cows. Red blood cell (RBC) reduced glutathione (GSH) and RBC glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) activity as well as vitamin C plasma levels were measured. After taking cervical mucus and blood samples the animals were inseminated artificially. Three month later pregnant (n = 20) and non pregnant (n = 12) cattle were determined. Correlations between investigated parameters and pregnancy rate were performed. In blood plasma, a significant correlation was observed between vitamin A and beta carotene (P < 0.001) as well as vitamin E (P < 0.05). There was a significant (P < 0.001) correlation in TBARS values of plasma and cervical mucus. However, none of the investigated parameters showed a significant difference between pregnant and non pregnant cows. In conclusion, we did not find any difference and correlation between pregnant and nonpregnant animals concerning the investigated antioxidants. A positive correlation was observed between lipid peroxidation levels of plasma and cervical mucus. Our work provides basic informations about antioxidative parameters under physiological conditions. Further studies should investigate possible correlation between disturbed fertility and antioxidative status of plasma and cervical mucus in clinically healthy cows.     

Epigallocatechin-3-gallate supplementation can improve antioxidant status in stressed quail

1. Heat stress causes oxidative stress, which decreases plasma antioxidants in poultry. Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), the most abundant polyphenol in green tea, is a powerful antioxidant against lipid peroxidation. This experiment was conducted to evaluate the effects of dietary EGCG supplementation on performance, carcase characteristics, concentrations of malondialdehyde, lipid peroxidation indicator, vitamins C, E, A, cholesterol, triglyceride, and glucose in Japanese quail (Coturnix coturnix japonica) exposed to a high ambient temperature of 34 degrees C. 2. One hundred and eighty Japanese quails (10 d old) were assigned at random to 6 treatment groups consisting of 10 replicates of three birds. Birds were kept in cages in a temperature-controlled room at either 22 degrees C (thermo-neutral) or 34 degrees C (heat stress) for 8 h/d. Birds were fed either a basal diet or the diet supplemented with 200 or 400 mg of EGCG/kg of diet. 3. EGCG supplementation linearly increased feed intake, live weight gain, feed efficiency, cold carcase weight and yield under heat stress conditions but did not show the same effect at thermoneutral conditions. Serum vitamin C, E, and A concentrations increased in birds reared at high temperature while non-significant changes occurred in thermo-neutral groups. Malondialdehyde concentrations in serum and liver decreased in all birds of both thermo-neutral and heat stressed groups as dietary EGCG supplementation increased. Heat stress-induced increase in serum cholesterol, triglycerides and glucose concentrations were linearly reversed by EGCG supplementation. 4. The results indicate that EGCG supplementation improved the live performance and antioxidant status of heat-stressed Japanese quail.     

Effects of lycopene on in vitro quality and lipid peroxidation in refrigerated and cryopreserved turkey spermatozoa

1. The effects of lycopene-enriched extenders on the in vitro quality of turkey semen including lipid peroxidation were examined after chilled and frozen storage.

2. Five pools of semen diluted in extenders containing 0, 0·05 or 0·1?mg/ml of lycopene were stored at 5°C for 48?h or cryopreserved as pellets and the following variables determined in fresh samples and samples stored chilled or frozen: sperm motility, viability, osmotic resistance, DNA integrity and lipid peroxidation (as malonaldehyde production).

3. Semen quality was generally compromised after storage, especially post-freezing. However, in the presence of the highest dose of lycopene, both the viability and osmotic-resistance of chilled spermatozoa and the DNA integrity of frozen spermatozoa were similar to those of fresh spermatozoa.

4. Greater lipid peroxidation was detected in refrigerated compared to fresh or cryopreserved spermatozoa. However, spermatozoa chilled in lycopene-enriched extenders showed significantly lower malonaldehyde levels than those chilled without lycopene, while the addition of lycopene to the freezing medium served to maintain the lipid peroxidation levels observed in fresh semen.

5. In conclusion, the presence of lycopene in the extender improved the survival of turkey spermatozoa after liquid-storage and protected DNA integrity against cryodamage. The beneficial effects of lycopene observed could be related to its capacity to diminish sperm lipid peroxidation during refrigeration or cryopreservation.     

Brain, liver and plasma unsaturated aldehydes in nutritional encephalomalacia of chicks

Vitamin E deficiency and linoleic acid-feeding lead to nutritional encephalomalacia (NE) in chicks, affecting the cerebellum exclusively. The relevance of lipid peroxidation (LPO) products to the pathogenesis of the disease was studied. Laying hens received a diet low in vitamin E. Resulting chicks were assigned to four groups fed either with linoleic (C18: 2n-6) or linolenic (C18: 3n-3) acid together with 1 or 50 p.p.m. vitamin E. Nine days post-hatching NE occurred in the vitamin E-deficient group fed linoleic acid. With each chick showing NE, a healthy one from all four groups was killed. Unsaturated aldehydes were determined in plasma, liver, cerebrum and cerebellum. Results underlined that the type of dietary fat is decisive for the aldehyde pattern. In the liver of linoleic acid-fed animals total aldehydes were increased. Diseased animals had increased aldehydes stemming from n-3 fatty acids. In plasma, vitamin E deficiency led to higher malondialdehyde and OH-nonenal concentrations. In brain, neither vitamin E deficiency nor NE were accompanied by increased aldehyde concentrations. In consequence a direct role of unsaturated aldehydes for the development of NE in the cerebellum is not probable.     

Effect of Dietary and Injectable Vitamin E on the Antioxidant Status of Pigs

An experiment concerning 6 different vitamin E treatments was conducted with 30 young pigs. From 4 to 15 weeks of age the pigs were kept in individual pens and fed a selenium supplemented basal diet consisting mostly of propionic acid treated barley and soybean meal, and containing 4.4 mg vitamin E per kg. The treatments were periods with or without vitamin E supplement (20 mg/kg) or a vitamin E injection (200 mg). Blood samples collected during the period of investigation were examined for vitamin E and for resistance against erythrocyte lipid peroxidation (ELP) in order to evaluate the antioxidant status.Analysis of variance showed a litter effect on ELP values at all the weekly investigations and a treatment effect from two weeks after the experiment had started. Also the blood vitamin E level was litter dependent and influenced by treatment. Paired comparisons by Student’s t-test showed a delay of 1 to 2 weeks in the effect on ELP of a dietary vitamin E supplement. In contrast, both ELP and vitamin E changed very rapidly (hours) after vitamin E injections.Independently of the vitamin E treatments there was a rise in ELP within the first 2 or 3 weeks after weaning; this was taken as an index of a reduced antioxidant status during that period.Key words: Vitamin E, antioxidant status, erythrocyte lipid peroxidation, pigs     

Relationship between vitamin E content and susceptibility to lipid peroxidation in tissues of the newly hatched chick.

1. The effect of supplementing the diet of the parent hen with vitamin E on the vitamin E content of the yolk and of embryonic and neonatal tissues was evaluated and the effects of elevated tissue concentrations of vitamin E on peroxidation susceptibility was examined. 2. Laying hens (Ross 1 broiler-breeder strain) were maintained on diets containing either 147 (control diet) or 365 (high vitamin E diet) microg vitamin E/g feed. 3. In the day-16 embryo, the concentrations of of vitamin E in the yolk sac membrane, liver, brain and lung were respectively 5.0, 4.3, 1.7 and 5.6 times greater for those derived from the hens on the high vitamin E diet compared with those from the control group. 4. In the day-old chick, the concentrations of vitamin E in the yolk sac membrane, liver, brain and lung were respectively 14.8, 2.8, 3.0 and 5.1 times greater for those derived from hens on the high vitamin E diet compared with those from the control group. 5. Homogenates of tissues from the day-old chick were incubated in the absence and presence of Fe2+ in order to determine the extent of spontaneous and iron-stimulated peroxidation as measured by the generation of thiobarbituric acid reacting substances. For the chicks derived from hens on the control diet, the brain was markedly more susceptible to both spontaneous and iron-stimulated peroxidation than were the other tissues. Tissues from the chicks derived from the hens on the high vitamin E diet exhibited significantly reduced susceptibilities to peroxidation. In particular, the susceptibility of the brain was reduced to the same level as that of the other tissues. 6. It is concluded that the high peroxidative susceptibility of the chick's brain can be normalised by supplementation of the parent hen with vitamin E.     

Vitamin E requirements of adult Standardbred horses evaluated by tissue depletion and repletion

Vitamin E requirements of adult Standardbred horses were evaluated by tissue depletion and repletion. All the horses used in the study were given the same basal feed low in vitamin E during the eight months of the experiment. After an initial depletion period of two-and-a-half months the horses were divided into groups according to the amounts of DL alpha-tocopheryl acetate given (0 mg, control; 200, 600, 1800 and 5400 mg, respectively) as a daily oral supplement. The supplement study was followed by a second depletion period. Total vitamin E content and individual natural tocopherol isomers and tocotrienol isomers were measured both in the feed (hay and oats) and in tissue (serum, liver, skeletal muscle and adipose tissue) using high performance liquid chromatography with fluorescent detection. Tissue vitamin E response to different dietary vitamin E levels were studied. The serum total lipid content remained unchanged during the experiment; serum vitamin E levels were expressed per gram serum lipid. The total vitamin E levels in serum, liver, skeletal muscle and fat reflected the supplement levels. The highest vitamin E levels were seen in fat tissue, followed by the liver and by skeletal muscle. In spite of the wide occurrence of the different vitamin E isomers in the feed, alpha-tocopherol was almost the only isomer detected in the tissues. To ensure nutritional adequacy, 600 and 1800 mg of DL alpha-tocopheryl acetate was suggested as an optimal oral daily supplement of vitamin E to adult Standardbred horses given feed low in vitamin E; this corresponds to 1.5 to 4.4 mg/kg bodyweight.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Effect of vitamin E sources (RRR- or all-rac-alpha-tocopheryl acetate) and levels on sow reproductive performance, serum, tissue, and milk alpha-tocopherol contents over a five-parity period, and the effects on the progeny

Two dietary sources of vitamin E (DL-alpha-tocopheryl acetate [DL-beta-TAc], or D-alpha-tocopheryl acetate [DL-alpha-TAc]) at two dietary supplemental levels (30 vs 60 IU/kg) were evaluated in reproducing sows over a five-parity period. The experiment was a 2 x 2 factorial arrangement of treatments conducted as a randomized complete block in two replicates. A total of 48 gilts were fed their treatment diets from 40 kg BW through five parities, reflecting a total of 171 farrowings. Reproductive measurements of litter size, sow weight, and back-fat thickness were collected. The incidence of mastitis-metritis-agalactia (MMA) and fluid discharge from the vagina were evaluated for each sow on each of the first 3 d postpartum. Sows were bled at periodic intervals during gestation and at weaning (21 d) and serum was frozen. After the fifth parity, two to four sows from each treatment group were killed and tissues collected. At birth, two to three neonatal pigs were killed from each sow treatment group within each parity and livers were collected and frozen. In addition, three pigs from each litter from three to four sows per treatment group within each parity were bled at weaning and serum was saved. Six pigs from each sow group at weaning of Parity 5 were also killed and livers were collected and frozen. Sow and pig sera and tissues were analyzed for a-tocopherol. There was no effect (P > .15) of vitamin E source or level on the various sow reproductive measurements, litter size, or the incidences of MMA or fluid discharges from the vagina. Feeding D-alpha-TAc compared with DL-alpha-TAc or 60 IU compared with 30 IU vitamin E/kg diet resulted in higher (P < .01) sow serum, colostrum, and milk alpha-tocopherol contents at each measurement period. Sow liver, adipose, lung, and heart alpha-tocopherol contents were also higher (P < .01) when the 60 IU vitamin E level had been fed. Both serum and liver a-tocopherol contents in 21-d-old nursing pigs were higher (P < .01) when the sow had been fed D-alpha-TAc compared with the DL-alpha-TAc source or when the 60 IU level had been fed. There were no vitamin E source x vitamin E level interactions (P > .15) for the various alpha-tocopherol measurements. Although the supplemental vitamin E sources were provided on an equivalent IU basis, these results suggest that D-alpha-TAc has a higher equivalency than DL-alpha-TAc on an IU basis, but higher dietary levels also resulted in higher sow and pig alpha-tocopherol contents.     

Effect of vitamin E supplementation on lipid peroxidation in blood and lung of influenza virus infected mice

The influenza virus infection (A/Aichi/2/68) was associated with development of oxidative stress in lung and blood of mice, accompanied by an increase in levels of lipid peroxidation products (conjugated dienes and total malondialdehyde) and a decrease in endogenous amounts of natural antioxidant vitamin E. These effects were most pronounced on the 5th day after virus inoculation, in comparison with those on the 7th. Supplementation of mice with exogenous vitamin E before virus inoculation lead to lung and blood protection against lipid peroxidation. A marked decrease in lipid peroxidation products and an increase in vitamin E content was established in blood and lung on the 5th and 7th day after virus inoculation. The stabilizing effect of vitamin E is dose-dependent in blood and dose-independent in lung, and was most pronounced on the 5th day after virus inoculation in comparison with the 7th day.     

Efficacy of dietary D-alpha-tocopherol and DL-alpha-tocopheryl acetate for weanling pigs.

A 2 x 3 factorial experiment in a randomized complete block design was conducted using a total of 180 weanling pigs in five replicates. The study evaluated the efficacy of two dietary vitamin E sources (D-alpha-tocopherol, DL-alpha-tocopheryl acetate) added at three dietary levels (16, 48, 96 IU/kg) during a 35-d postweaning trial. Pigs within each treatment were fed two similarly fortified vitamin E diets in sequence; the first contained 40% milk products and was fed to 14 d, and the second contained 20% milk product and 5% fat and was provided from 15 to 35 d postweaning. Five pigs per pen per replicate were bled weekly for serum analysis of alpha-tocopherol, Se, cholesterol, triglyceride, and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) activity. At the end of the trial, one pig per pen was randomly selected and killed with liver, loin, lung, and heart excised and frozen for tocopherol analysis. Postweaning gains, feed intakes, and efficiencies were similar between the two vitamin E sources and at the various dietary levels. Serum tocopherol concentrations were consistently higher when D-alpha-tocopherol was provided. Vitamin E sources and levels had no effect nor did they influence weekly serum Se, cholesterol, or triglyceride concentrations or GSH-Px activity. A serum and tissue interaction (P less than .05) response occurred between dietary vitamin E source x level with alpha-tocopherol concentrations increasing linearly (P less than .01) as dietary vitamin E level increased, but at a higher rate when D-alpha-tocopherol than when DL-alpha-tocopheryl acetate as fed.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Effect of Dietary Fat Quality and Vitamin E on the Antioxidant Potential of Pigs

A randomized blocked factorial experiment was conducted with 90 young pigs. From 4 to 11 weeks of age the pigs were kept in individual pens and fed a selenium supplemented basal diet consisting mostly of propionic acid treated barley, soybean meal and dried skim milk, and containing < 0.5 mg vitamin E per kg. The treatment factors during this period were 3 dietary levels of added vitamin E (nil, 10 and 30 mg/kg) and a 6 % supplement of fresh or oxidized fat (2/3 lard and 1/3 herring oil). From 11 weeks of age until slaughter at 90 kg the pigs received the vitamin E supplements but no fat or dried skim milk. The basal diet for this later experimental period was based on untreated dry barley. Blood samples collected during the period of investigation were examined for vitamin E and for resistance against erythrocyte lipid peroxidation (ELP) in order to evaluate the antioxidant status.Analysis of variance and Student’s t-test on least squares means showed the ELP to be influenced independently by the vitamin E supplement and, during the fat feeding period, by the quality of the fat supplement, with the highest peroxidation resistance (low ELP) in the groups fed fresh fat and a high level of vitamin E. Blood vitamin E level was only influenced — positively — by the vitamin E supplement although variations in the feed vitamin E level below 10–15 mg vitamin E per kg did not result in corresponding variations in measurable blood vitamin E concentrations. In the same low range of vitamin E in the feed there was a statistically significant difference in ELP values between the different vitamin E treatment groups. No clinical manifestations of selenium-vitamin E deficiency were observed in the pigs.The ELP and the plasma vitamin E levels observed would seem to suggest that a total of 15 mg vitamin E per kg barley-based feed will not always be sufficient for growing pigs.     

Effect of selenium and vitamin E content of the maternal diet on the antioxidant system of the yolk and the developing chick

1. The effects of selenium and vitamin E supplementation of the maternal diet on their transfer to the egg yolk and tissues of the newly hatched chick and on the development of the antioxidant system in the chick liver in early postnatal life were investigated. 2. One hundred Cobb broiler breeder hens were divided into 10 equal groups and housed in pens at 25 weeks of age. Each hen received 1 of the treatment diets which included 0.2 or 0.4 mg/kg selenium, 40, 100, 200 mg/kg vitamin E or their combination. After 6 weeks, the hens were artificially inseminated once per week. From week 8, eggs were collected and placed in an incubator. After hatching, chicks from each group were reared (under standard commercial conditions) to 10 d of age. The chicks were fed on a standard starter commercial broiler diet. At the time of hatching, and at 5 and 10 days old, 4 chicks from each group were sacrificed and blood, liver and brain were collected for the subsequent biochemical analyses. 3. The inclusion of organic selenium or vitamin E in the commercial diet significantly increased their concentration in the egg and in the liver of 1-d-old chicks obtained from the eggs enriched with these substances. A positive effect of such dietary supplementation was seen at d 5 and d 10 of postnatal development. 4. There was a positive effect of selenium supplementation of the maternal diet on glutathione concentration in the liver of 1-d-old and 5-d-old chicks. A combination of a dietary selenium supplementation with high vitamin E doses further increased glutathione concentration in the liver. Dietary selenium supplementation significantly increased selenium-dependent glutathione peroxidase (Se-GSH-Px) activity in the liver of the 1-d-old and 5-d-old chicks and decreased liver susceptibility to peroxidation. 6. It is concluded that the nutritional status of the laying hen determines the efficiency of the antioxidant system throughout embryonic and early postnatal development of the offspring.     

The vitamin E distribution in serum, liver, adipose and muscle tissues in the pig during depletion and repletion

This study was designed to examine the storage capacity for vitamin E in liver, adipose tissue and skeletal muscle of growing pigs during a period of supplementation and of depletion. Therefore, biopsy specimens of these tissues and samples of serum were frequently taken from 7 pigs throughout the experimental period. After a 7-week period on a diet highly supplemented with vitamin E (405 mg/kg), a significant increase (p less than 0.001) in the concentration of this vitamin was observed in all tissues sampled. The highest level (102.9 +/- 26.2 mg/kg) was observed in the liver. After 2 days of depletion the concentration of vitamin E in the liver had fallen by 80%, whereas the concentration in the fat and muscle remained unchanged during 1 week of depletion. The serum vitamin E value rose significantly (p less than 0.001) after 1 week on the supplemented diet and then remained at about 7 mg/l throughout the supplementation period and decreased (p less than 0.001) after 2 days on a nonsupplemented diet. Generally, the serum vitamin E levels among growing pigs are between 2 and 3 mg/l. The results show that the serum and liver values were correlated when the serum level was within this range. Moreover, it is clearly demonstrated that the concentrations of vitamin E in serum and liver reflect the immediate nutritional status of the animal, whereas the vitamin concentrations in adipose and skeletal muscle tissue reflect its long-term nutritional history.     

Effect of supplementing the hen's diet with vitamin A on the accumulation of vitamins A and E,ascorbic acid and carotenoids in the egg yolk and in the embryonic liver

1. The effect of a range of supplementations of vitamin A to the laying hen on the concentration of vitamins A, E, ascorbic acid and carotenoids in the maternal liver, the egg yolk and the embryonic liver were investigated. 2. Four groups of 25 Rhode Island Red hens were fed on standard layer-breeder diets with concentrations of supplemented vitamin A ranging from 0 to 120 mug/g retinol equivalents from 28 weeks of age. After 3 months, the concentration of vitamin A in the maternal liver was found to be greatly enhanced in proportion to the increasing rates of supplementation with the vitamin. However, the concentration of vitamin E in the maternal liver was markedly reduced by high dietary contents of vitamin A. 3. The concentration of vitamin A in the yolk of the hens' eggs was markedly increased by the dietary supplementation. However, the concentration of both vitamin E and carotenoids in the yolks were significantly reduced by high dietary contents of vitamin A. 4. The concentration of vitamin A in the liver of the embryo and the day old chick was greatly increased by the high concentrations of maternal vitamin A provision. However, the concentration of vitamin E, carotenoids and ascorbic acid in the embryonic/neonatal liver were significantly reduced by high contents of vitamin A in the maternal diet. 5. The susceptibility of the embryonic/neonatal liver to lipid peroxidation was significantly increased as a result of high provisions of maternal vitamin A. 6. It is concluded that excessive provision of vitamin A to the laying hen results in an adverse effect on vitamin E, carotenoids and ascorbic acid in the embryonic/neonatal liver and can compromise the antioxidant status of the progeny.     

硒与维生素E对鸡马杜霉素急性中毒的保护作用

在实验条件下用7mg/kg bw.剂量的马杜霉不诱发鸡急性中毒，处理组鸡在给马杜霉素前给予硒（0.2mg/kg bw.剂量，内服）－维生素E（每kg饲料含200mg)7d，在给马杜霉素后给予硒（0.2mg/kg bw.剂量，内服）－维生素E（200mg/kg bw.剂量，肌注）4d，中毒组在给马杜霉素前后不给任何硒和维生素E，对照组既不给马杜霉素，也不给硒与维生素E。结果是：处理组鸡的死亡率显著低于中毒组（P＜0.05），且病鸡恢复比中毒组快。处理组的肝脏、心肌、骨骼肌的出血与变性比中毒组轻，但处理组与中毒组的肾脏的出血与变性的程度相似；处理组的血清GOT值、肝脏的脂质过氧化物的含量、肝脏过氧化氢酶的性均显著低于中毒组；但处理组的血清CK值与中毒组相比无显著性差异。结果表明硒与维生素E对鸡马杜霉素急性中毒有较好的保护作用。     

Effect of bulk feeds (alfalfa hay, corn silage) on the metabolism and liver parameters of growing geese.

Rearing experiments were conducted with a total of 90 liver hybrid geese from Babat, divided into three groups of 30 birds each. The effect exerted by all-concentrate feeding (group 1), concentrate feeding supplemented with alfalfa hay (group 2) or with corn silage (group 3) ad libitum on the blood glucose level, blood plasma total lipid, total cholesterol and free fatty acid level, and on total lipid content of the liver was studied. In addition, aspartate aminotransferase (AST) activity of the blood plasma and carotene, vitamin A and vitamin E concentration of the blood plasma and the liver were determined. It was found that the blood and liver parameters of goose groups fed different diets changed within the physiological limits typical of the species. Excessive fibre intake resulted in reduced lipid transport within the organism at an unchanged plasma cholesterol level; at the same time, blood glucose level remained unchanged. Ad libitum feeding of alfalfa hay and corn silage enhanced carotene and vitamin A transport and carotene storage but did not affect the transport of vitamin E. The results confirm earlier data of the literature that beta-carotene and vitamin A together impair vitamin E metabolism.     

Efficacy of vitamin E + selenium and vitamin A + D + E combinations on oxidative stress induced by long-term transportation in Holstein dairy cows

The aim of this study was to evaluate the stress response to long-term transportation and to analyze the effects of vitamin A + D + E and vitamin E + selenium administrations on oxidative stress induced by long-term transportation in Holstein dairy cows. Control group (n = 10) received 0.9% saline (placebo), Group I (n = 10) received vitamin A + D + E, and Group II (n = 10) received vitamin E + selenium. After the transport, adrenaline levels were high in all groups (P < 0.05). Noradrenaline level was low in Group I (P < 0.05) and tended to be low in Group II. Mean levels of serum cortisol decreased significantly in all groups (P < 0.05) when comparing pre-transport data with post-transport data. Glucose levels increased in Control group (P < 0.05) and in Groups I and II (P < 0.01). The malondialdehyde level significantly increased in the Control group (P < 0.05) after the transport and the levels were lower in Group I (P = 0.076) and Group II (P < 0.05) than in the Control group. As a result, vitamin E + selenium and vitamin A + D + E have been determined to prevent lipid peroxidation and oxidative stress, associated with long-term transportation stress in cattle.