Effect of different selenium sources on growth and meat quality in goats

A study was undertaken to elucidate the effect of selenium-yeast and sodium selenite supplementation on growth and meat quality of goats. Eighteen male nondescript kids (2-3 months of age and 6.63±0.30kg average body weight) randomly assigned to three different treatments, fed a basal diet consisting of concentrate mixture and oat straw. In addition the kids in groups II and III were supplemented with 0.3 mg selenium/kg DM as selenium-yeast and sodium selenite, respectively. Experimental feeding lasted for a period of 180 days, during which fortnightly body weights were recorded to assess their growth rate. Immediately after slaughtering the animals, semitendinosus muscle samples were collected to study the meat quality. Growth performance of the goats was similar between supplemented and control group. However, water holding capacity and Lovibond tintometer colour units for redness showed increased trend in the two supplemented groups where as thio-barbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) concentration decreased in supplemented groups than the control. It is concluded that supplementation of 0.3 mg selenium/kg DM as selenium yeast and sodium selenite increased the water holding capacity and redness of meat and reduced the TBARS concentration in meat.