SUSTAINABILITY 62 FEED & ADDITIVE MAGAZINE October 2025 After two weeks of feeding, breast muscle samples were collected from three birds per replicate to analyze selenium deposition. For comparison, the same sampling and analysis were performed on the control group on day 0. The results (Figure 1) show that on day 0 (d0), birds have a good selenium deposition in their muscles, but when not supplementing any selenium for the first two weeks of life (control group), this storage is exhausted. Supplementing sodium selenite or selenized yeast with low L-SeMet levels (45 and 29% respectively), allows for slight compensation in the selenium that is stored in the muscle. When comparing L-SeMet and OH-SeMet, the results showed similar selenium deposition in muscle tissue between the lower dosage of L-SeMet (0.16 ppm) and OH-SeMet (0.20 ppm). However, the higher dosage of L-SeMet (0.20 ppm) resulted in significantly higher selenium deposition (P<0.05) in the broiler muscle tissue, with a 17% increase compared to OH-SeMet (0.20 ppm). By choosing L-SeMet, an optimal selenium status can be created. L-SeMet has been shown to be more efficient compared to other (organic) selenium sources. This can contribute to improving sustainability, as the added selenium is used in the most effective way, and excretion is minimized. At the same time, it is possible to reduce the dosage while maintaining the same outputs. Besides the lower environmental pressure, reducing dosage can allow for a cost reduction and economic sustainability. WHAT ABOUT COPPER, ZINC AND MANGANESE? Copper, zinc and manganese are essential trace elements that are commonly included in animal nutrition. Different forms of these trace elements are available, which are generally categorized under three generations of products. The first generation, traditional, inorganic minerals (oxides and sulphates) are known for their ionic bonds and low bioavailability. Oxides can be compared to a stone; almost insoluble and therefore the trace element hardly becomes available for absorption. Sulphates on the other hand are more comparable to sugar cubes; quickly soluble and therefore at risk of forming insoluble complexes and causing reactivity already in the feed. The second-genSelenium Deposition Broiler Tissue Selenium (µg/kg) 300 250 200 150 100 50 0 Control d0 a b c d d b b Control (Se) d14 Sodium Selenite (0.20 ppm) L-SeMet (0.20 ppm) L-SeMet (0.16 ppm) OH-SeMet (0.20 ppm) SeYeast (45%, 0.20ppm) SeYeast (29%, 0.20ppm) Figure 1. Selenium (Se) deposition in broiler muscle tissue on day 14 (P<0.05) (adapted from Van Beirendonck et al. 2018)
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