Vitamin E and selenium concentrations of wild donkeys and their diets in the extreme desert ecosystem of Death Valley, California, versus captive donkeys

IntroductionVitamin E and selenium are vital micronutrients that play key roles in metabolic functions and antioxidant defense, directly influencing equid health. There are no published reference intervals for concentrations of these micronutrients in healthy donkeys. Methods: We compared serum vitamin E and whole blood selenium concentrations in wild, recently captured donkeys with concentrations in donkeys who had been managed in captivity for at least half a year at the time the blood was dra