Effectiveness of Selenium and Noneffectiveness of Sulfur Amino Acids in Preventing Muscular Dystrophy in the Turkey Poult

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Abstract
Torula yeast-glucose monohydrate diets deficient in vitamin E were used in 2 experiments conducted to study the influence of selenium, ethoxyquin and sulfur amino acids on the incidence of skeletal and gizzard muscular dystrophy in turkey poults. Three groups of 10 Broad Breasted Bronze poults were used per treatment. A high incidence of gizzard dystrophy was observed in the groups fed the basal diets calculated to be only slightly deficient in sulfur amino acids. Skeletal muscles were also affected, but to a lesser extent. Supplementation of the ration with cystine (0.15%) or methionine (0.4%) did not alter the development of dystrophy. Similarly, low levels of ethoxyquin (0.025%) or selenium (0.01% or 0.1 mg/kg) proved ineffective. Ethoxyquin at a high level (0.3%) reduced the incidence of both skeletal and gizzard muscular dystrophy, but did not provide complete protection. Complete prevention was obtained, however, with a higher level of selenium (1 mg/kg) or α-tocopheryl acetate (20 IU/kg). Anemia and reduced albumin-globulin ratios observed with the selenium and vitamin E-deficient diets could be overcome as effectively with selenium (0.1 ppm) as with vitamin E. Ethoxyquin also was effective, but only at a high level (0.3%).