This study evaluated the effects of selenium
(Se) supplementation in maternal and offspring
diets on performance and antioxidant capacity of ducklings
aged from 0 to 2 wk. A total of 144 female Longyan
duck breeders aged 22-wk were allotted into 2 treatments
and fed a control diet or a 0.16 mg Se/kg supplemented
diet. At 40-wk, 120 offspring from each
treatment were divided into 2 groups, with 6 replicates
of 10 birds. Using a 2 £ 2 factorial design, ducklings
from each maternal dietary treatment were assigned to
a control diet or a 0.16 mg Se/kg supplemented diet
from hatch to 2-wk. Compared with Se-deficient diet,
maternal diet supplemented with 0.16 mg Se/kg
increased the BW of hatchlings (P < 0.01). There were
interactions between maternal and progeny diet with
0.16 mg Se/kg in BW of ducklings aged 2 wk and BW
gain (BWG) as ducklings from maternal Se/progeny
none treatment had the lightest BW and BWG (P <
0.01). Maternal diet with 0.16 mg Se/kg decreased
plasma concentration of uric acid and insulin-like growth
factor 1 (P < 0.01), and progeny diet supplemented with 0.16 mg Se/kg increased the activities of glutathione peroxidase
3 (GPx3) in plasma and glutathione peroxidase
1 in erythrocyte (P < 0.01). Maternal diet with 0.16 mg
Se/kg increased (P < 0.05) the hepatic activity of total
superoxide dismutase (T-SOD). Progeny diet supplemented
with 0.16 mg Se/kg increased (P < 0.01) hepatic
activity of GPx3 and decreased (P < 0.01) the hepatic
concentration of malondialdehyde. Interactions were
detected between maternal and progeny diet with
0.16 mg Se/kg in hepatic activity of T-SOD and maternal
and progeny diet supplemented with Se displayed
the highest hepatic activity of T-SOD (P < 0.05). Overall,
Se supplementation in the diet of duck breeders and
offspring increased the antioxidant capacity of ducklings.
Maternal Se supplementation increased the BW of
hatchlings, whereas maternal and progeny dietary Se
supplementation did not affect the BWG of ducklings
aged from 0 to 2 wk. Se supplementation with additional
0.16 mg/kg in the diet of duck breeders and offspring
displayed beneficial effects particularly on the antioxidant
capacity in ducklings.