Vitamin E deficiency In Poultry

The most important function of vitamin E is that it acts as an antioxidant. An antioxidant is something that is added to a product to prevent or delay its deterioration by the oxygen in the air. That is, a substance that prevents oxidation. Vitamin E prevents oxidation of unsaturated lipids within cells. Vitamin E can be called a naturally occurring antioxidant. In addition, vitamin E prevents
degenerative changes in muscles and liver.

Deficiency Symptoms

Vitamin E deficiency gives rise to three disease conditions. These include: (I) encephalomalacia (crazy chickdisease), (2) exudative diathesis, and (3) nutritional muscular dystrophy. Since encephalomalacia is the mostimportant among these, it will be described briefly.

Encephalomalacia is a nervous disorder. It is often seen in birds between 2 and 3 weeks of age.

Symptoms

include muscular weakness, muscular incoordination with frequent falling, rapid contraction and relaxation of the legs, paralysis, and death.

Postmortem Findings

In the brain, there are petechial (small) haemorrhages on the surface of the cerebellum (a part of the

brain) (Fig. I 12, 113). Such gross changes in cerebellum in association with appropriate symptoms are almost diagnostic.

Treatment

The usual treatment is administration of vitamin E through drinking water.

Prevention

The condition is prevented by ensuring the availability of adequate vitamin E. Selenium also has some preventive effect