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Optimal dietary concentration of chromium for alleviating the effect of heat stress on growth, carcass qualities, and some serum metabolites of broiler chickens

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Abstract

This study was conducted to determine the effects of chromium (chromium picolinate, CrPic) supplementation at various levels (0, 200, 400, 800, or 1200 µ/kg of diet) on performance, carcass characteristics, and some serum metabolites of broiler chickens (Ross) reared under heat stress (32.8°C). One hundred fifty old male broilers were randomly assigned to 5 treatment groups, 3 replicates of 10 birds each. The birds were fed either a control diet or the control diet supplemented with either 200, 400, 800, or 1200 µg Cr/kg of diet. Increased supplemental chromium resulted in an increase in body weight (p=0.01, linear), feed intake (p≤0.05, linear), and carcass characteristics (p≤0.05, linear) and improved feed efficiency (p=0.01, linear). Increased supplemental chromium decreased serum corticosterone concentration (p=0.01, linear), whereas it increased serum insulin and T3 and T4 concentrations (p=0.01). Serum glucose and cholesterol concentrations decreased (p=0.01), whereas protein concentrations increased linearly (p=0.001) with higher dietary chromium supplementation. Results of the present study conclude that a supplementation of diet with chromium at 1200 ppb can alleviate the detrimental effects of heat stress in broiler.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Animal Nutrition, Veterinary Faculty, University of Firat, Elazig, Turkey

    Kazim Sahin

  2. Veterinary Control and Research Institute, Ministry of Agriculture, Elazig, Turkey

    Nurhan Sahin & Muhittin Onderci

  3. Department of Biochemistry, School of Medicine, University of Firat, Elazig, Turkey

    Ferit Gursu & Gurkan Cikim

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Sahin, K., Sahin, N., Onderci, M. et al. Optimal dietary concentration of chromium for alleviating the effect of heat stress on growth, carcass qualities, and some serum metabolites of broiler chickens. Biol Trace Elem Res 89, 53–64 (2002). https://doi.org/10.1385/BTER:89:1:53

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1385/BTER:89:1:53

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