Comparative effect of organic and inorganic selenium supplementation on selenium status in camel

Selenium deficiency is widely described in livestock from the Arabian Peninsula, notably in the camel, and selenium supplementation is based on cattle or horse requirements, usually with sodium selenite product. In order to test the effect of organic Se supplementation vs inorganic Se, 24 pregnant camels were subjected to 3 treatment groups starting one month before delivery (control without Se, non-organic bolus, organic Se). Blood, milk and feces samples were collected from one month before delivery to 3 months of lactation. At delivery, the organic group had a significant higher Se concentration (P < 0.01) in serum (8.21 ± 1.38 μg/100 mL) and in colostrum (7.27 ± 2.89 μg/100 mL) than in inorganic group (3.90 ± 0.68 and 3.72 ± 0.71, respectively) and than in control group (5.45 ± 2.38 and 2.70 ± 0.66, respectively). In calf serum, the Se concentration was significantly higher (P < 0.001) in the two supplemented groups (6.32 ± 2.81 and 5.99 ± 3.31 μg/100 mL in organic and inorganic groups, respectively) than in control (3.42 ± 1.41 μg/100 mL). The Se in mother serum decreased after parturition but was highly correlated to Se serum in calf and to Se fecal excretion. Se in milk was lower than in colostrum in all groups (P < 0.01). Treatments had no significant effect on somatic cell count. This study revealed that organic supplementation in camel appeared more efficient.