Although there is abundant scientific information regarding vitamin E and
selenium deficiency disease in domestic poultry, there is only scant information on
exotic species, such as ratites. Several necropsy cases involving ostriches, emus and
rheas were presented to the Oregon State University Veterinary Diagnostic
Laboratory with gross and/or histologic lesions of degenerative myopathy.
Investigation of these cases led to determination of tissue levels of vitamin E and
selenium and to determination of the dietary levels of these same substances. A small
group of emus with a post-mortem diagnosis of degenerative myopathy was
supplemented with dietary vitamin E with excellent clinical results. This success
prompted a survey of vitamin E and selenium levels in blood and feed from clinically
normal ratites. This information was then used to make recommendations for dietary
levels of vitamin E and selenium in ratite formulated diets. Since overzealous
supplementation can result in selenium toxicosis in birds, a safe, but effective level of
dietary selenium and vitamin E is necessary for optimal propagation of the various
ratites species. / Graduation date: 1998
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:ORGSU/oai:ir.library.oregonstate.edu:1957/33763 |
| Date | 11 December 1997 |
| Creators | Rae, Madeline Ann |
| Contributors | Snyder, Stanley P. |
| Source Sets | Oregon State University |
| Language | en_US |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis/Dissertation |
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