August 18, 2004

Study Reveals Link Between Vitamin E And Poultry Health
 

A study conducted by USDA revealed that extra vitamin E fed to turkeys appears to help control infections from listeria.

The researchers found that vitamin E improved the ability of turkeys to fight the growth of listeria. The findings could help other meat industries as well.

Irene Wesley led the study for the United States Department of Agriculture. Researchers from Iowa State University and the University of Arkansas also participated in the study. The findings appeared in Poultry Science magazine earlier this year.

Vitamin E is found in oils from vegetables, grains and animals. It helps to protect some kinds of fatty acids that are necessary for healthy cells. Vitamin E helps prevent oxygen from combining with these fats to cause damage to the cells.

Turkeys need vitamin E for normal development. In the study, scientists added extra amounts to the diet of two groups of turkeys. All the young turkeys were subsequently infected with listeria on purpose. Test results showed the birds that received extra vitamin E did not get infected as often as the others, while birds that received the largest amount had the lowest number of infections.

Vitamin E is said to have a similar effect on chickens. Scientists say chickens and turkeys that receive added vitamin E develop more infection-fighting cells called lymphocytes. The increased number of these cells apparently helps to protect against other diseases that can be carried by birds.

Earlier tests at Iowa State showed that extra amounts of vitamin E could improve the quality of meat, and keep it fresh longer.