DEFICIENCY DISORDERS

Deficiencies of selenium and vitamin E cause numerous disorders, which can take very varied clinical forms and involve different organs and systems. The majority of these disorders have their origin in the oxidative damage caused by free radicals, while localisation and characteristics depend on the species affected, the type of diet and managerial factors. 1. Disorders responsive to Vitamin E a. Encephalomalacia in chicks (Crazy chick disease) b. Erythrocyte haemolysis in chicks c. Steatitis - adipose tissue of chicks d. Testicular degeneration and sterility in rabbits and chicks. e. Nutritional muscular dystrophy in chicks and rabbits - skeletal muscles 2. Disorders resulting from the combined deficiencies of selenium and Vitamin E a. Hepatic liver necrosis b. Exudative diathesis in poultry c. Infertility in ewes and cows d. Nutritional muscular dystrophy: i. WMD in lambs, calves and kids - skeletal and heart muscles ii. In the gizzard and heart of the turkey iii. In the skeletal muscle of chickens 3. Disorders responsive to selenium alone a. Fibrotic degeneration of chick pancreas

POULTRY Exudative diathesis Exudative diathesis is a pathology characterised by severe edema, predominantly localised in the breast, wings and neck. It derives from excessive capillary permeability following the oxidative damage due to a deficiency of selenium and vitamin E. It occurs in chickens between 2 and 6 weeks of age with edema, loss of weight, weakness of limbs, a bluish coloration of the skin and an increase in mortality. Broilers are often severely penalised for the yellowish coloration of the flat inside part of the legs, due to transudation of plasma into subcutaneous tissue. Encephalomalacia (Crazy chick disease) Encephalomalacia affects chickens of 2-6 weeks, fed on diets deficient in vitamin E and possibly rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids. It is a consequence of oxidative damage to encephalic structures, with an increase in the fragility of capillaries. In chickens, the brain is easily affected by a deficiency of vitamin E, due to the low vitamin content, the high presence of polyunsaturated fatty acids and the low activity of antioxidant enzymatic systems. Encephalomalacia occurs with nervous symptoms and prostration, while at the necroscopic examination, haemorrhagic encephalic lesions are found. Selenium is unable to prevent this pathology, while synthetic antioxidants are only partly efficacious. Nutritional muscular dystrophy Muscular dystrophy is a degenerative disorder of skeletal muscle, a consequence of the formation of microthrombi in the arterioles and capillaries. It is characterised by the degeneration of muscle fibre, particularly of the breast, but also occasionally of the thigh. In the chicken, it is often found with exudative diathesis and it tends to occur only when the diet is poor in both vitamin E and sulphur amino acids (methionine and cysteine). Unlike the situation in chickens, in the turkey the disorder predominantly affects cardiac muscle and the gizzard and is not correlated to a concomitant deficiency of sulphur amino acids.

RUMINANTS The typical deficiency form in ruminants is White Muscle Disease. It usually affects young animals and assumes an endemic character in zones with pastures poor in selenium. This degenerative form can affect both skeletal muscle, giving rise to symptoms of motor difficulty and the heart, causing the sudden death of animals. Calves and lambs can be stillborn or die during the first few days of life, while borderline deficiencies can cause pulmonary edema and increase the incidence of respiratory pathologies. In addition to preventing White Muscle Disease, it is widely recognised that selenium and vitamin E are important in ensuring animal health and in preventing numerous disorders which can severely compromise the profitability of rearing establishments. In cattle and ovines-caprines, these antioxidant substances are able to reduce many reproductive disorders, such as retained placenta, metritis and cystic ovarian disease, increase resistance to infections, improve udder health and increase productive indices.