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Effect of supplementation with barium selenate on the fertility, prolificacy and lambing performance of hill sheep
Author(s) -
Muñoz C.,
Carson A. F.,
McCoy M. A.,
Dawson L. E. R.,
Irwin D.,
Gordon A. W.,
Kilpatrick D. J.
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
veterinary record
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.261
H-Index - 99
eISSN - 2042-7670
pISSN - 0042-4900
DOI - 10.1136/vr.164.9.265
Subject(s) - selenium , domestic sheep reproduction , zoology , glutathione peroxidase , selenate , sodium selenate , biology , endocrinology , medicine , chemistry , catalase , oxidative stress , organic chemistry
Six weeks before mating, the ewes on six hill farms were randomly assigned to receive either a subcutaneous injection of a long‐acting supplement containing 50 mg/ml selenium as barium selenate, or no injected selenium. Before the treatment, the mean activity of glutathione peroxidase (GSHPx) in the ewes on the six farms ranged from 166 to 592 U/g haemoglobin (Hb) and their plasma selenium concentrations ranged from 0·60 to 1·61 μmol/l. Treated ewes had higher plasma selenium concentrations and higher GSHPx activities than control ewes during the study. Conception rates were higher in the treated ewes than in the control ewes. At six weeks, the lambs born to the treated ewes had higher plasma selenium and GSHPx levels than the controls. The treated ewes reared 9 per cent more lambs than the control ewes. The treated ewes had lower abortion rates, and higher liveweights and body condition scores than the controls. There were weak but positive associations between the plasma selenium and GSHPx levels of the ewes and their reproductive performance.