MATERNAL AND FETAL SELENIUM CONCENTRATIONS AND THEIR INTERRELATIONSHIPS IN AKKARAMAN SHEEP

Maternal and foetal selenium concentrations in blood plasma erythrocyt e, liver and placenta were determined in 60 pregnant ewes; foetuses of these ewes were collected at slaughterhouse in Elazig. Mean selenium concentrations in the maternal plasma erythrocytes and liver (wet weig ht) were 0.38, 0.82 mu mol/litre and 0.16 mu mol/kg respectively. Mean selenium concentrations in the foetal plasma erythrocytes and liver ( wet weight) were 0.30, 0.74 mu mol/litre and 0.55 mu mol/kg, respectiv ely. In addition, mean selenium concentration in the placenta(wet weig ht) was 0.62 mu mol/kg. Mean selenium concentrations in the maternal p lasma, erythrocytes and liver were greater than the mean selenium conc entrations in the foetal samples. There was a significant positive cor relation between selenium values in the maternal plasma(P<.001), eryth rocytes (P<.05), liver (P<.001) and foetal means of selenium in these samples. These results showed that selenium concentrations in the foet uses are influenced by maternal selenium status.