Journal of Animal Research

Present study was conducted to investigate the effect of organic selenium and vitamin E on physico-chemical characteristics of broiler meat. This study was a 3 x 2 factorial arrangement of three levels of organic selenium (0, 0.1, and 0.2 ppm) and two levels of vitamin-E (0 and 300mg/kg). Day-old Vencobb broiler chicks (n=180), were randomly assigned in 6 treatment groups. The experiment lasted for 35 days. The six different dietary treatments were: T₁- Control diet without organic selenium and vitamin E; T₂- 300mg/kg vitamin E; T₃- 0.1ppm organic selenium; T₄- 0.1ppm organic selenium and 300mg/kg vitamin E; T₅0.2ppm organic selenium and T₆- 0.2ppm organic selenium and 300mg/kg vitamin E. Supplementation of organic selenium and vitamin E had no significant effect on pH of broiler meat. Extract release volume (ERV) and water holding capacity (WHC) were significantly (P<0.01) increased in organic selenium and vitamin-E supplemented groups as compared to control and was recorded highest in birds fed 0.1ppm organic selenium with 300mg/kg vitamin-E. Significantly (P<0.01) decreased level of thiobarbituric acid (TBA) and tyrosine value (TV) were observed in birds fed organic selenium and vitamin-E as compared to control and was least in birds fed 0.1ppm organic selenium with 300mg/kg vitamin-E. There was marked interaction between organic selenium and vitamin E for ERV, WHC, TBA and TV (P<0.01) however it was non-significant for pH. Supplementation of organic selenium and vitamin E reduces the lipid peroxidation and autolysis, thus improves the shelf life of broiler meat.