Selenium and Exudative Diathesis in Chicks and Poults

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Abstract
Symptoms of exudative diathesis were produced in chicks fed a vitamin E-free Torula yeast diet. The condition was prevented by the addition of vitamin E or of dried brewers' yeast to the basal diet Corn distillers' dried solubles and condensed fish solubles were also active in this respect. Selenium fed at 0.1 ppm or 0.05 ppm as sodium selenate in the diet successfully replaced vitamin E or dried brewers' yeast in the prevention of the gross symptoms of exudative diathesis in chicks and in preventing the increase in cell volume, the reduction in blood hemoglobin content, in red cell count, total serum proteins and in the A/G ratio. The incidence of exudative diathesis in turkey poults was prevented by the addition of 0.05 ppm of selenium (selenate). Unlike vitamin E, the dried brewers' yeast and selenium did not prevent the rancidity of feed fat. In the absence of vitamin E, selenium (selenate) promoted growth when fed at 0.1 or 0.05 ppm in the diet, the latter level being slightly more effective. In the presence of vitamin E, no growth response was observed by the supplementation of selenium or dried brewers' yeast in the diet. The growth response due to dried brewers' yeast was comparable with that resulting from 0.1 ppm selenium. Selenium, vitamin E, or dried brewers' yeast did not affect the sodium, potassium or calcium level of the serum of the chicks. The alkaline (calcium oxide) ash of dried brewers' yeast had partial effectiveness against the condition of exudative diathesis, equivalent to that due to about 0.025 ppm selenium (selenate) in the diet. No protection was observed when dried brewers' yeast, ashed in the presence of 10% concentrated HCl, was added as a supplement to the diet. Selenium, vitamin E, or the use of starch as a carbohydrate source completely prevented the development of exudative diathesis in turkey poults fed a Torula yeast diet.

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