Comparison of the effectiveness of selenium and vitamin E supplementation on the health of the mammary gland of sheep

In this study we observed the effect of peroral and parenteral supplementation of Selenium (Se) and vitamin E (VTE) on the selected
antioxidant parameters in blood and on the incidence of mastitis in ewes after the first lambing. Of the 350 sheep of Improved
Walachian and Lacaune breeds, situated in eastern Slovakia under standard zootechnical and animal hygiene conditions, we
selected thirty one-year-old ewes before their first lambing. The ewes were divided into three groups according to the method
of supplementation of Se and VTE. The blood samples from vena jugularis were collected on day 30 before lambing (control
sampling) and on days 3 and 30 after lambing. Ewes were checked for mastitis on days 10 and 30 after lambing. On the day of
the control sampling the ewes from the B1 group were perorally supplemented with 0.3 mg Se/kg/DM in the form of Na2SeO3
and 50 IU/vitamin E/kg/DM, while ewes from the B2 group were injected subcutaneously Se with VTE at a dose of 6.6 mg/Se and
1,000 IU/VTE. Changes in the concentration of Se and VTE in the blood plasma of ewes were determined only in the perorally
supplemented group (B1) on day 3 after lambing. At 30 days after lambing the the incidence of mastitis in this group was half as
lower (10%) as in the control group (20%).