Alkane-grown yeast in relation to selenium in broiler diets.

In a trial, 1080 male chicks, 15 per cage, were given a basal diet low in selenium or diets with 12.5 or 25% of G-yeast grown on alkane-type hydrocarbons. All diets were supplemented with vitamin E 10 and antioxidant 100 mg/kg and each diet was supplemented with Se at 0.1, 0.25, 0.5, 0.75 or 1 mg/kg. There was a significantly negative linear effect of yeast on bodyweight, weight gain and a significantly positive linear effect on feed conversion efficiency up to 7 weeks of age, indicating that the G-yeast caused a depression in comparison with the control. The supplements of Se did not increase weight gain or feed conversion efficiency but increased contents of Se in breast and leg muscle at 7 weeks. The contents of Se in muscles of the broilers on the basal diet were rather high, presumably because of a carry-over from the hen via the egg. (Abstract retrieved from CAB Abstracts by CABI’s permission)