Modeling the effect of different dose of selenium additives in compound feed on the efficiency of broiler chicken growth

Abstract

In recent years, the current standards for the introduction of trace elements into compound feed for highly productive crosses and poultry breeds have been revising with taking into account new scientific data in many countries around the world. According to modern classification, selenium is recognized as an indispensable biotic ultra microelement. The standards of selenium introduction into compound feed for broiler chickens, which are recommended in different countries of the world and at different times, have certain differences and range from 0.1 to 0.5 mg/kg of feed. The reason for the differences is probably that the experiments were conducted under different conditions, against the background of different diets, on different poultry crosses and using different selenium-containing compounds. In addition, norms of selenium additives in compound feed for broiler chickens recommended by foreign and domestic scientists are not always supported by mathematical calculations and, in our opinion, they should be estimated as indicative, requiring further specification depending on the regional characteristics of poultry feeding. As shown above, the standards of selenium supplements recommended by foreign scientists in complete feed for broiler chickens are contradictory, is not always supported by mathematical calculations and, in our opinion, they should be evaluated as indicative, requiring further clarification depending on the regional characteristics of poultry feeding. Two scientific experiments were conducted which lasted 42 days each in order to determine the optimal rate of selenium introduction in compound feed for broiler chickens. The research is conducted on broiler chickens of the Coob 500 cross. In compound feeds for broiler chickens of experimental groups selenium in doses of 0.2; 0.3; 0.4 and 0.5 mg/kg was additionally introduced. The poultry of the control group did not receive selenium supplementation. Statistical processing of experimental data obtained in two scientific experiments by graphical, variance and regression analysis methods allows us to conclude that the optimal selenium dose in compound feed for broiler chickens should be considered of 0.3 mg/kg. During the growing period broiler chickens feeding with compound feeds Se-enriched in this amount contributed to a likely increase in their live weight in the first experiment by 7.8 % (Р<0,001), in the second experiment by 5.1 % (P0.01), compared with the control group. Higher doses of selenium is (0.4 and 0.5 mg/kg) in compound feed, as well as a lower dose is (0.2 mg/kg), caused less intensive growth and less of broiler chickens live weight of other experimental groups in comparison with young animals that were fed compound feed with selenium supplement of 0.3 mg/kg.