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Assessment of Chromium Content of Feedstuffs, Their Estimated Requirement, and Effects of Dietary Chromium Supplementation on Nutrient Utilization, Growth Performance, and Mineral Balance in Summer-Exposed Buffalo Calves (Bubalus bubalis)

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Abstract

This study was conducted to determine the chromium content of different feedstuffs, their estimated requirement, and effect of dietary Cr supplementation on nutrient intake, nutrient utilization, growth performance, and mineral balance in buffalo calves during summer season. Levels of Cr was higher in cultivated fodder, moderate in cakes and cereal grains, while straw, grasses, and non-conventional feeds were poor in Cr content. To test the effect of Cr supplementation in buffalo calves, 0, 0.5, 1.0, and 1.5 ppm of inorganic Cr were fed to 24 buffalo calves. Buffalo calves were randomly assigned to four treatments (n = 6) and raised for 120 days. A metabolic trial for a period of 7 days was conducted after 3 months of dietary treatments. Blood samples were collected at fortnight interval for plasma mineral estimation. The results suggested that dietary Cr supplementation in summer did not have any affects (P > 0.05) on feed consumption, growth performance, nitrogen balance, and physiological variables. However, dietary Cr supplementation had significant effect (P < 0.05) on balance and plasma Cr (ppb) levels without affecting (P > 0.05) balance and plasma levels of other trace minerals. The estimated Cr requirement of buffalo calves during summer season was calculated to be 0.044 mg/kg body mass and 10.37 ppm per day. In conclusion, dietary Cr supplementation has regardless effect on feed consumption, mass gain, and nutrient utilization in buffalo calves reared under heat stress conditions. However, supplementation of Cr had positive effect on its balance and plasma concentration without interacting with other trace minerals.

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Acknowledgments

I would like to express my gratitude to all those who gave me the possibility to complete this research work. I want to specially thank Dr. Harjit Kaur, for his great efforts of supervising and leading us, to accomplish this fine work. I am thankful to the National Dairy Research Institute, Karnal, for the institutional fellowship award for carrying out this research work.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Animal Nutrition Department, College of Veterinary Science and Animal Husbandry, DUVASU, Mathura, India

    Muneendra Kumar

  2. Dairy Cattle Nutrition Division, National Dairy Research Institute, Karnal, India

    Harjit Kaur, Amrish Tyagi, Veena Mani, Rijusmita Sarma Deka, Gulab Chandra & Vijay Kumar Sharma

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  1. Muneendra Kumar
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  2. Harjit Kaur
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  3. Amrish Tyagi
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  4. Veena Mani
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  7. Vijay Kumar Sharma
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Correspondence to Muneendra Kumar.

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Kumar, M., Kaur, H., Tyagi, A. et al. Assessment of Chromium Content of Feedstuffs, Their Estimated Requirement, and Effects of Dietary Chromium Supplementation on Nutrient Utilization, Growth Performance, and Mineral Balance in Summer-Exposed Buffalo Calves (Bubalus bubalis). Biol Trace Elem Res 155, 29–37 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12011-013-9728-2

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