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Vitamin E and selenium plasma concentrations in weanling pigs under field conditions in Norwegian pig herds
Tore Sivertsen1, Ellen Vie, Aksel Bernhoft
1Department of Production Animal Clinical Sciences, Norwegian School of Veterinary Science, Oslo, Norway. tore.sivertsen@veths.no
Background:
The status of alpha-tocopherol (vit E) and selenium (Se) has been shown to influence disease resistance in pigs, and may be important for the health of weanling pigs.
Methods:
Plasma levels of both vit E and Se were followed in weanling pigs under field conditions in six Norwegian pig herds. Plasma vit E and Se were measured in 3 sows from each herd and 4 piglets in the litter of each sow at the day before weaning (day -1); and in the same piglets at days 4, 8 and 18 after weaning.
Results:
Mean plasma vit E was 4.0 microg/ml in the sows and 2.6 microg/ml in the piglets at day -1, fell to 1.6 microg/ml in the weanling pigs at day 4, and remained low. Mean plasma Se was 0.22 microg/g in the sows and 0.08 microg/g in the piglets at day -1, rose to 0.10 microg/g in the weanlings at day 4, and continued rising.
Conclusion:
The results suggest that vit E and Se supplementation to piglets and weanling pigs in Norway may still be suboptimal, but that levels of the two nutrients partially compensate for each other in the weaning period.
