The effect of selenium supplement on anti-oxidant status and ast concentration in beef cattle

Selenium (Se) is an essential micronutrient required for normal growth development and antioxidant defense. The objective of this study is to determine the effect of Se supplementation on the oxidative stress (malondialdehyde, MDA and glutathione peroxidase, GSH-Px) and muscle integrity (aspartate transaminase, AST) in beef cattle. Ten 1-year-old cows were selected randomly and divided into a control and treatment group. The control group was injected intramuscularly with 10ml normal saline, while the treatment group received two intramuscular injections of 0.1mg/kg of Se, viz at the start and two weeks post-experimentation. Blood was collected weekly until the fourth week of the experimental period. The plasma, red blood cell and serum were then subjected to MDA, GSH-Px and AST assays, respectively. The results showed that there was no significant difference in the concentration of MDA and AST between both groups. However, the concentration of GSH-Px showed a significant (p<0.05) increment only on the weeks 1 and 2 post-treatment. It is concluded that supplementation regime of Se used may not be effective in abating the oxidative stress and improving muscle integrity in beef cattle.

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