Browsing by Author "Surai, PF"

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Effect of Organic Selenium in Quail Diet on Its Accumulation in Tissues and Transfer To the Progeny
(Taylor & Francis Ltd, 2006) Surai, PF; Karadas, F; Pappas, AC; Sparks, NHC
1. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects on the eggs and hatchlings ( up to 2 weeks post-hatch) of feeding a relatively large amount of so-called organic selenium to breeder quail. 2. Two groups of quail ( 3 families in each group consisting of 4 females and 1 male) were formed at the beginning of their reproductive period. The quail were fed on a commercial maize-based diet containing 0.096 mg/kg feed-derived selenium ( Se), supplemented with 0.2 mg/kg selenite ( control group) or 0.5 mg/kg organic selenium in the form of Sel-Plex (TM) ( Alltech Ltd, USA) for 6 months. Eggs were collected at 6 months of age and Se in the egg yolk, egg white and shell was analysed. Five quail at 1, 7 and 14d post-hatch were killed to provide samples of liver, brain, breast and leg muscles for Se analysis. After egg collection for analysis and incubation, adult quail were killed and liver, kidney, lung, brain, breast and leg muscles were collected for Se analyses. 3. Inclusion of high doses ( 0.5 mg/kg) of organic Se in the quail diet was associated with a significant increase in Se concentration in all tissues studied of adult quail as well as in egg yolk, egg albumin and eggshell. 4. Increased Se concentration in the quail egg was associated with increased Se concentration in the liver, breast and leg muscles and brain of newly hatched quail. This difference was shown to be significant for 2 weeks post-hatch. Therefore, it has been suggested that the maternal effect of dietary selenium can be seen beyond the hatching time and more emphasis should be given to this effect in future. 5. It was shown that it is possible to produce Se-enriched quail meat and eggs by adding organic selenium to the diet.
Effects of Maternal Dietary Supplementation With Three Sources of Carotenoids on the Retinyl Esters of Egg Yolk and Developing Quail Liver
(Elsevier Science inc, 2005) Karadas, F; Surai, PF; Sparks, NHC; Grammenidis, E
The effects of supplementation of the maternal diet of quail with three natural sources of carotenoids (alfalfa nutrient concentrate (PX agro (TM)), tomato powder and marigold extract) on the accumulation of retinol and retinyl esters in egg yolk and in the liver of the new hatchling and maternal were investigated. The present study showed that the vitamin A in quail egg yolk was present in 4 different forms, namely retinol (R 52-62%), retinyl linoleate (RL 9-11%), retinyl stearate (RS 4%), retinyl oleate (RO 11-15%) and retinyl palmitate (RP 13-22%). The retinyl ester profile of the liver of newly hatched quail (R 2-4%, RL 8-12%, RS 19-21%, RO 12-15%, RP 50-55%) differs from that of egg yolk but was similar to that of the liver of adult quail (R 1%, RL 5-6%, RS 21-28%, RO 9-12%, RP 54-63%). It has been shown that RO and RP concentrations in egg yolk and the liver of day old quail chick significantly increased as a result of carotenoid supplementation of the maternal diet. (c) 2005 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Embryonic Development Within Carotenoid-Enriched Eggs Influences the Post-Hatch Carotenoid Status of the Chicken
(Elsevier Science inc, 2005) Karadas, F; Pappas, AC; Surai, PF; Speake, BK
Carotenoids in the diet of the laying hen are incorporated into the egg yolk and subsequently into the liver and other tissues or the chicken embryo. Since these pigments are known to provide a range of health benefits to a variety of animals, it is of interest to know whether the effects of maternally derived carotenoids are strictly limited to the embryonic period or if they persist in the progeny after hatching. The aim of this study is to compare the effectiveness of pre-hatch (from the hen's diet) with that of post-hatch (from the progeny's diet) supplementation with carotenoids on the carotenoid status of the chick during the first 4 weeks of post-hatch life. Hens were fed a control diet or a diet supplemented with a carotenoid-rich extract of alfalfa. Eggs front the supplemented hens contained up to 22 times more carotenoids than the controls. The concentration of carotenoids in the livers of chicks hatching from the enriched eggs was initially 29 times greater than in the control chicks. Hepatic carotenoid concentrations in chicks from enriched eggs maintained post-hatch on the control diet were sustained at higher values compared with chicks from control eggs that were fed post-hatch on the carotenoid-supplemented diet, for at least the first 7 days. However, by 14 days, the latter group had overtaken the former in terms of liver carotenoid levels, Thus. under these conditions, maternal effects predominate for at least the first week after hatching, whereas from 2 weeks onwards, the progeny's diet becomes the main determinant of its carotenoid status. Since the antioxidant and immunostimulatory roles of carotenoids are likely to be especially important during the immediate post-hatch period, maternal dietary intake of carotenoids may have important ramifications for the viability of the offspring.,(c) 2005 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Influences of Carotenoid Supplementation on the Integrated Antioxidant System of a Free Living Endangered Passerine, the Hihi (Notiomystis Cincta)
(Elsevier Science inc, 2006) Ewen, JG; Thorogood, R; Karadas, F; Pappas, AC; Surai, PF
The integrated antioxidant system is recognised as an essential component of an organisms self maintenance. Our knowledge of this system, however, is largely restricted to species of economic importance. The health and productivity benefits these dietary based compounds provide make them increasingly relevant for study in wildlife ecology. The aim of this research was to identify numerous components of this integrated system in a free living and endangered passerine bird, the hihi. In addition experimental supplementation with carotenoids was used to investigate the modulatory interactions with other members of the antioxidant system. Our results identified lutein and zeaxanthin as the carotenoids utilised by hihi (82% and 17% of total carotenoids respectively in control samples of egg yolk, 84% and 16% of total carotenoids respectively in control samples of nestling plasma), and that vitamin E was represented by both alpha- and gamma-tocopherol. Retinol was also present, as was selenium in surprisingly high concentrations (599.64, 91.76, 377.72 ng/g fresh weight Se in control samples of yolk, albumin and plasma, respectively). Supplementation of lutein and zeaxanthin not only increased their presence in egg yolk (F-1,(10) = 14.285, P= 0.005 and F-1,F-10 = 9.606, P = 0.015, respectively) and nestling plasma (F-1,F-19=35.126, P<0.001 and F-1,F-19 = 28.597, P<0001, respectively) but also led to increased selenium concentration in egg yolk (F-1.10 = 7.213, P=0.028), increased retinol concentration in nestling plasma (F-1.19=4.272, P=0.054) and decreased alpha-tocopherol concentration in nestling plasma (F-1,F-19=5.122, P=0.037). These results provide detail of the antioxidant system in novel taxa and importantly highlight interaction between these various compounds. Given their increased application in productivity and health in agriculture and human medicine we highlight the potential application of this knowledge in wildlife ecology and conservation. (C) 2005 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Lipid-Soluble and Water-Soluble Antioxidant Activities of the Avian Intestinal Mucosa at Different Sites Along the Intestinal Tract
(Elsevier Science inc, 2005) McLean, JA; Karadas, F; Surai, PF; McDevitt, RM; Speake, BK
The antioxidant capacity of the avian intestinal mucosa is potentially important in protecting the gut wall from the harmful actions of reactive oxygen species originating from the diet, mucosal metabolism and the inflammatory response to enteric microbes. To assess this capacity, we determined the total lipid-soluble and water-soluble antioxidant activities of mucosal extracts, using tissue from different parts of the intestinal tract of the chicken. The lipid-soluble antioxidants, vitamin E and carotenoids, were also measured in the same samples. Total lipid-soluble antioxidant activity was highest in mucosa from the duodenum followed by the jejunum, with much lower activities in the ileum, ceca and colon. Total water-soluble antioxidant activity of the mucosa was at least an order of magnitude greater than the lipid-soluble activity under the assay conditions and did not differ significantly among the different parts of the intestinal tract. High concentrations of vitamin E were present in the mucosa of the duodenum and jejunum, with a trend to lower levels in the ileum and ceca, and significantly less in the colon. Similarly, the mucosa of the duodenum and jejunum contained the highest concentrations of carotenoids, with much lower levels in the ileum and colon. The different isoforms of vitamin E were absorbed from the digesta by the mucosa without any major selectivity. However, the liver was greatly enriched with alpha-tocopherol over the other isoforms, indicating a high degree of discrimination by this tissue. The results indicate major differences in the relative contributions of lipid- and water-soluble antioxidants in the mucosa along the different parts of the intestinal tract, most likely reflecting the sites of vitamin E and carotenoid absorption. (c) 2005 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
The Selenium Intake of the Female Chicken Influences the Selenium Status of Her Progeny
(Elsevier Science inc, 2005) Pappas, AC; Karadas, F; Surai, PF; Speake, BK
The primary purpose of this study is to determine the extent to which the effects of dietary supplementation of the female chicken with selenium (Se) continue into the next generation. An additional aim is to compare the relative effectiveness of pre-hatch (from the hen's diet) with that of post-hatch (from the progeny's diet) supplementation with Se on the Se status of the chick during the first 4 weeks of post-hatch life. Hens were maintained on control or Se-supplemented diets, respectively containing 0.027 and 0.419 mu g Se/g of feed. The high-Se diet elevated the Se content of the hens' eggs by 7.1-fold. At hatch, the concentrations of Se in the liver, breast muscle and whole blood of the chicks originating from the high-Se parents were, respectively, 5.4-, 4.3- and 7.7-fold higher than the values in the chicks of the low-Se parents. When the offspring from the two parental groups were both maintained on the low-Se progeny diet, the tissue Se concentrations in chicks originating from the high-Se hens remained significantly higher for 3-4 weeks after hatching, compared with the values in chicks from the low-Se hens. Similarly, tissue glutathione peroxidase activity remained significantly higher in chicks from the high-Se hens for 2-4 weeks post-hatch. Thus, the effects of maternal Se supplementation persist in the progeny for several weeks after hatching. However, when chicks hatching from low-Se eggs were placed on a high Se diet, their tissue Se concentrations at 7 days of age were markedly higher than the values in chicks from high-Se eggs placed on the low-Se diet. (c) 2005 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Tissue-Specific Distribution of Carotenoids and Vitamin E in Tissues of Newly Hatched Chicks From Various Avian Species
(Elsevier Science inc, 2005) Karadas, F; Wood, NAR; Surai, PF; Sparks, NHC
The aim of this study was to evaluate carotenoid and vitamin E distribution in egg and tissues of newly hatched chicks from wild mallard (Anas platyrhynchos), game pheasant (Phasianus colchicus), free-range guinea fowl (Numida meleagris), hen (Gallus domesticus) and domestic duck (Anas platyrhynchos) and intensively housed hens. Carotenoid concentrations in the egg yolk of free-range guinea fowl, pheasant and wild mallard were similar (61.3-79.2 mu g/g). Egg yolks from ducks and intensively housed hens were characterised by the lowest carotenoid concentration comprising 11.2-14.8 mu g/g. However, carotenoid concentration in eggs from free-range ducks and hens was less than half of that in free-range guinea fowl or pheasant. Depending on carotenoid concentration in the livers of species studied could be placed in the following descending order: free living pheasant > free-range guinea fowl > free-range hen > intensively housed hen > wild mallard > housed duck > freerange duck. The carotenoid concentrations in other tissues of free-range guinea fowl and pheasant were substantially higher than in the other species studied. Egg yolk of housed hens was characterised by the highest alpha- and gamma-tocopherol concentrations. In accordance with the alpha-tocopherol concentration in the egg yolk, the birds can be placed in the following descending order: intensively housed hen > wild mallard > free-living pheasant > free-range duck > free-range hen = free-range guinea fowl > housed duck. The main finding of this work is species- and tissue-specific differences in carotenoid and vitamin E distribution in the various avian species studied. (c) 2005 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.