Influence of Supplemental Selenium and α–Tocopherol on Egg Production and Blood Profiles of Laying Chickens

Abstract

Effect of dietary supplement of selenium and α–tocopherol on performance and blood profile of laying hen was assessed in this trial. ISA brown pullets (n=192) at week 52 (late laying phase) of life were randomly assigned to six experimental diets: T1: Basal diet, T2: Basal diet with 0.5 mg/kg selenium, T3: Basal diet with 1.0 mg/kg selenium, T4: Basal diet with 1.5 mg/kg selenium, T5: Basal diet with 20 mg/kg α–tocopherol, T6: Basal diet with 40 mg/kg α–tocopherol. Each treatment was replicated four times with eight birds per replicate. The design of the experiment was a completely randomized design. Performance parameters were not significantly affected (p>0.05) by supplemental selenium and α–tocopherol. Laying hens on T6 had significantly higher (p<0.05) packed cell volume (34.95%), red blood cells (2.79x106IU/L), haemoglobin (11.81 g/100mL), lymphocytes (79.75%), and heterophil / lymphocytes ratio (0.143) than those on the control diet. Similarly, hens on T6 had significantly higher (P<0.05) serum total cholesterol (90.51mg/dL), high density lipoprotein (23.31 mg/dL), low density lipoprotein (35.54 mg/dL), calcium (14.57%) and phosphorus (4.39%) but lower triglyceride (31.66 mg/dL) compared to those on other dietary treatments. However, serum glucose (mg/dL) of hens on T6 (92.71) was similar to those on T4 (92.69) but lower when compared to those on T1 (90.05). Therefore, supplemental α–tocopherol could positively influence hen blood profile at the late laying phase.