Effects of pre- and postpartum injections of Se, Zn and vitamin E on their concentration in ewes milk

Abstract

The study was conducted on 40 Polish Merino ewes divided into two groups: experimental (E) and control (C), each of 20 animals. Four weeks before lambing, 1 day, 3 weeks and 6 weeks after lambing, the ewes from group E were i. m. injected with 5 ml 0.1% Na2SeO4, 10 ml 10% ZnSO 4 and 250 mg vitamin E (α- tocopherol). The concentrations of Se, Zn and vitamin E were determined in ewe milk 1 day after lambing (colostrum), 1 week, 3, 4, 6 and 7 weeks after lambing. The colostrum concentrations of Se (130.7 ng/ml), Zn (28.4 μg/ml) and vitamin E (2.66 μg/ml) were higher (P<0.01) than in milk. Simultaneous injections of Se, Zn and vitamin E at 4 weeks before lambing did not increase the level of these nutrients in colostrum. The Se, Zn and vitamin E injections after lambing were effective in increasing the contents of these nutrients in milk.