Selenium-enriched garlic and cabbage as a dietary selenium source for broilers

This study determined the selenium (Se) bioavailability from Se-enriched garlic and cabbage using broiler chickens. Se-enriched garlic (18.5 mg of Se/kg) and cabbage (101.5 mg of Se/kg) were produced by soil enrichment using selenate. Conventional and Se-enriched garlic and cabbage were dried, ground, and added to broiler chick diets. Ninety-six broiler chickens at 1 day of age were assigned to four dietary treatments: NC (cabbage + garlic), PC (cabbage + garlic + selenomethionine, 0.5 mg of Se/kg of diet), GS (cabbage + Se-enriched garlic, 0.5 mg of Se/kg of diet), and CS (garlic + Se-enriched cabbage, 0.5 mg of Se/kg of diet), with six replicates per treatment and four birds per cage. Birds were fed the experimental diets for 4 weeks and slaughtered to obtain blood and tissues: white (breast) muscle, dark (thigh) muscle, liver, and feathers. All excreta were collected weekly, dried, and ground for Se analysis. Bird weight gain and feed intake were measured weekly. Total Se content and glutathione peroxidase (GPX) activity in liver and plasma were measured. Total liver Se content of the PC birds (0.876 mg of Se/kg) was the highest (P < .05). The CS (0.693 mg of Se/kg) and GS (0.627 mg of Se/kg) birds had higher (P < .05) total liver Se than the NC birds (0.514 mg of Se/kg). Plasma GPX activity of the PC birds was highest (P < .05), and that of CS and GS birds was higher (P < .05) than the NC birds. Liver GPX activity of the PC birds was higher (P < .05) than all other treatments. Bioavailability of Se to broiler chickens was not different (P > .05) among PC (65.2%), CS (61.2%), and GS (70.7%) birds. This study indicates that the Se from Se-enriched garlic and cabbage is highly bioavailable and can potentially be beneficial in enhancing Se status and GPX activity.