The antioxidant capacity of breast muscle in geese fed diets with sodium selenite (SS) or selenomethionine (SeMet) were investigated in the present study. Two hundred healthy 28-day-old male geese were randomly allotted into four groups (one inorganic group and three organic groups) with five replicates per group. Geese in the four groups were fed the basal diet with 0.3 mg selenium (Se)/kg SS, and the basal diet with 0.2, 0.3 and 0.4 mg Se/kg SeMet, respectively. The experiment lasted for 42 days. Diets with SS or SeMet had no significant effect on growth performance of geese. Geese fed diets with SeMet had higher Se content of breast muscle than SS (P < 0.001). Compared to SS, SeMet increased scavenging abilities of 2, 2-azino-bis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) diammonium salt free radical, hydroxyl radical and superoxide radical, the concentrations of reduced glutathione (GSH), total thiol and non-protein thiol, as well as the activity of glutathione peroxidase in breast muscle of geese (P < 0.05). Moreover, dietary SeMet reduced the concentrations of reactive oxygen metabolites, malondialdehyde and protein carbonyl in breast muscle of geese compared to SS (P < 0.05). Therefore, SeMet improved the antioxidant capacity of breast muscle in geese, which might be related to the stimulated GSH-system and thiol pool. The recommended inclusion level of SeMet in goose diet is 0.2 mg Se/kg.
Keywords: Antioxidant capacity; GSH-system; Goose; SeMet; Thiol.