Vitamin E status and reproduction in sheep: potential implications for Australian sheep production

2014 ◽  
Vol 54 (6) ◽  
pp. 694 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shimin Liu ◽  
David Masters ◽  
Mark Ferguson ◽  
Andrew Thompson

Vitamin E concentrations in dried pastures, stubble and most grains are below the recommended requirement of 10–25 mg/kg dry matter (DM). Sheep grazing in an environment when dry pastures and cereal crop stubbles are their primary source of nutrients for a few months have a high risk of developing vitamin E deficiency. If the low vitamin E status coincides with late gestation, the neonate is likely to have a deficiency of vitamin E. Some of the consequences of this are well known, with nutritional myopathy (with high mortality) a risk in young growing sheep unless vitamin E supplements are provided. Vitamin E plays an important role in the management of oxidative stress. Sperm are subject to oxidative damage due to high metabolic rate and high concentration of polyunsaturated fatty acids in their membranes. Oxidative stress may also compromise follicular development and ovarian activity. Vitamin E is also involved with improvement in immune response. For these reasons, vitamin E status is important for reproductive efficiency in both males and females and in the survival of lambs and weaners. In addition, vitamin E deficiency is potentially exacerbated by a lack of other nutrients involved in the management of oxidative stress and immune function, such as selenium (Se) and sulfur amino acids. A Se concentration of 0.1 mg/kg DM in feedstuffs is required to maintain immune competency in sheep. In considering possible consequences for reproduction, further investigation is justified into: (i) effects of low vitamin E, in combination with low levels of other natural antioxidants, on the quality and quantity of sperm produced before and during mating; (ii) follicle development, fertilisation and embryonic mortality in Se-supplemented ewes; (iii) assessment of supplementing formulated antioxidants to rams and ewes during the mating season; (iv) managing oxidative stress in the newborn – consequences of large doses of vitamin E to ewes before parturition to boost lamb reserves; (v) potential benefits to lamb survival through boosting maternal innate immunity; (vi) choices for boosting antioxidant and immune function in ewes and lambs through ‘immune pack’ nutrient options that may target nutrients lacking in dry grass pastures; (vii) the potential role of heat stress in modifying the requirements for, and responses to, vitamin E in extensive grazing systems.

2008 ◽  
Vol 42 (6) ◽  
pp. 602-612 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shigeo Yamaoka ◽  
Han-Suk Kim ◽  
Tohru Ogihara ◽  
Shinya Oue ◽  
Kimitaka Takitani ◽  
...  

1999 ◽  
Vol 822 (1-2) ◽  
pp. 80-87 ◽  
Author(s):  
Richard P. Copp ◽  
Thomas Wisniewski ◽  
Fayçal Hentati ◽  
Abdelmajid Larnaout ◽  
Mongi Ben Hamida ◽  
...  

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hongxing Dang ◽  
Jing Li ◽  
Chengjun Liu ◽  
Feng Xu

Background: Literature is scarce on the assessment of vitamin E status in septic children. We aim to investigate the prevalence of vitamin E deficiency in critically ill children with sepsis and septic shock and its association with clinical features and outcomes.Methods: We compared serum vitamin E status between the confirmed or suspected infection and no infection groups, the sepsis shock and no sepsis shock groups upon pediatric intensive care unit admission. Clinical characteristics were compared in subgroup patients with and without vitamin E deficiency. The association between vitamin E deficiency and septic shock were evaluated using univariate and multivariable methods.Results: 182 critically ill children with confirmed or suspected infection and 114 without infection were enrolled. The incidence of vitamin E deficiency was 30.2% in the infection group and 61.9% in the septic shock subgroup (P < 0.001). Thirty-days mortality in critically ill children with vitamin E deficiency was significantly higher than that without vitamin E deficiency (27.3 vs. 14.2%, P < 0.05). Vitamin E levels were inversely associated with higher pediatric risk of mortality (r = − 0.238, P = 0.001) and cardiovascular sequential organ failure assessment (r = −0.249, p < 0.001) scores in critically ill children with infection. In multivariable logistic regression, vitamin E deficiency showed an independent effect on septic shock (adjusted OR: 6.749, 95%CI: 2.449–18.60, P < 0.001).Conclusion: Vitamin E deficiency is highly prevalent in critically ill children with sepsis and contributed to the septic shock.


1983 ◽  
Vol 7 ◽  
pp. 128-128
Author(s):  
J. R. Arthur ◽  
R. Boyne

Deficiencies of selenium (Se) and vitamin E can result in myopathies in cattle and sheep but the mechanics have not been clearly described. Both Se, as a component of the enzyme glutathione peroxidase, and vitamin E as a radicle scavenger, are involved in the protection of cells against the toxic effects of oxygen. In young calves, Se/vitamin E deficiency can result in the death of the animals due to a focal myopathy occurring in heart muscle; focal lesions are also found in skeletal muscle. In older calves, a more diffuse myopathy is usually confined to skeletal muscle and usually occurs when cattle are turned out from winter housing to spring pasture. However, low Se/vitamin E status will not invariably result in clinical symptoms of myopathy and other factors may be involved. This report describes some of the biochemical changes which can occur during the onset of clinical myopathy in Se/vitamin E-deficient cattle.


Nutrition ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 63-64 ◽  
pp. 57-60 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elisa Trotta ◽  
Stefano Bortolotti ◽  
Gabriella Fugazzotto ◽  
Cinzia Gellera ◽  
Sara Montagnese ◽  
...  

2003 ◽  
Vol 22 ◽  
pp. S33 ◽  
Author(s):  
B.M. Winklhofer-Roob ◽  
G. Khoschsorur ◽  
A. Meinitzer ◽  
M. Maritschnegg ◽  
D. Hiller ◽  
...  

1999 ◽  
Vol 35 (2) ◽  
pp. 143-152 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marilyn O. Wright ◽  
Verna Burden ◽  
Junsoo Lee ◽  
Ronald R. Eitenmiller ◽  
Joan G. Fischer

Author(s):  
D I Thurnham ◽  
J A Davies ◽  
B J Crump ◽  
R D Situnayake ◽  
M Davis

Plasma tocopherol was measured in 85 alcoholic patients and 40 control subjects from a local factory. Cholesterol, triglycerides and phospholipids were measured individually and summed to give an estimate of total serum lipids. Plasma tocopherol concentrations of the alchoholics were significantly lower than those of the controls and showed wide variation from marked deficiency to the upper limit of the normal range. Using regression analysis, 1·11 μmol tocopherol/mmol total lipids were calculated as the threshold of deficiency equivalent to 0·8 mg tocopherol/g total lipid established by Horwitt et al.1 The sensitivity and specificity of other tocopherol:lipid ratios for identifying vitamin E deficiency was compared with the tocopherol:total lipid ratio. Thresholds of deficiency for the different tocopherol:lipid ratios were calculated. The tocopherol:cholesterol+triglyceride ratio was found to be almost as powerful in identifying vitamin E deficiency as the tocopherol:total lipid ratio (sensitivity 95%, specificity 99%). Of the tocopherol:individual lipid ratios, the tocopherol:cholesterol ratio gave the best results (sensitivity 86%, specificity 94%).


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