Selenium deficiency with the duck: changes in plasma free fatty acid level from hatching to onset of gross pathology

The effect of low-selenium diet on the plasma free fatty acid (FFA) level in growing white Pekin ducklings was studied. The plasma FFA level was found to decrease in day 6 to day 18 ducklings fed selenium-supplemented as well as selenium-deficient diets. A trend towards a lower plasma FFA level in the selenium-deficient group was seen. A significantly higher level of plasma FFA was observed on day 25 in the selenium-deficient as well as the selenium-supplemented groups, that of the former being considerably lower than that of the latter. The lower plasma FFA found in the selenium-deficient ducklings which also showed acute pathological symptoms of the deficiency has been attributed largely to the impairment of lipid and vitamin E absorption.