Selenium content in tissues and meat quality in rabbits fed selenium yeast

Ten weaned rabbits were fed a basal (control) diet containing 0.12 mg Se/kg. In 10 rabbits the basal diet was supplemented with Se-enriched yeast to increase the Se concentration to 0.50 mg/kg. Rabbits were slaughtered at the age of 11 weeks. Samples of meat, liver and hair of 4 rabbits from each group were taken and analyzed. No effect of Se on growth, feed conversion and dressing out percentage was observed. Loin and hindleg meat, liver and hair of control rabbits contained 93, 98, 521 and 267 μg Se/kg, respectively (average values). In treated rabbits the corresponding Se concentrations were 400, 389, 1 414 and 914 μg/kg. Supranutritional Se supply had no effect on the activity of glutathione peroxidase in meat, and oxidative stability of meat expressed as production of thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances in meat stored for 3 and 6 days. Thus, the enrichment of meat with Se is the main benefit of Se supplementation of rabbit diets.