CONCURRENT ORAL-ADMINISTRATION OF MONENSIN AND SELENIUM TO BROILER-CHICKENS - EFFECTS ON CONCENTRATION OF DIFFERENT ELEMENTS IN THE LIVER

Broiler chicks were kept on feeds amended by the addition of 240 mg mo nensin and 15 mg selenium with or without 200 mg vitamin E/kg. After 1 2 days, birds in different groups were orally administered three doses of 250 mg monensin and 5 mg selenium/kg body weight. In the second ex periment, after four weeks of adaptation on amended feeds, similar gro ups were orally administered 40 mg monensin and 1 mg selenium/kg body weight on alternate days for four weeks. Monensin increased the liver iron level. Selenium increased the hepatic levels of selenium and iron while variable degrees of depression occurred in copper, zinc, mangan ese and magnesium levels. Concurrent administration of monensin and se lenium significantly increased the liver selenium levels. A marked dec rease in body weight and increased mortality were recorded due to conc urrent administration of monensin and selenium.