This study was conducted to investigate the effects of various levels of nanoparticles chromium picolinate on performance, egg quality, minerals retention, and tissues accumulation of layer chickens. This study used 54 seventy-week old post-molt laying hens randomly allocated into 0 (control), 500 ppb (µg kg -1 ) Cr and 3000 ppb Cr groups for a 60-day experiment. The chromium was nanosize (80.8 ± 2.7 nm) chromium picolinate (NanoCrPic) and each treatment was undertaken with six replicates. In the meantime, a total of 18 birds (1 bird/replicate) were used for metabolic experimentation. The results of the experiment indicated that there were no significant effects on body weight, feed intake, feed efficiency, and egg production of layers. Supplemental NanoCrPic could significantly (p < 0.05) improve egg quality, or retention of chromium and zinc, but decrease shell ratio in the 60 th day eggs. The addition of NanoCrPic resulted in increased minerals accumulation in tissues such as Cr, Ca, and P concentration in the liver, Cr concentration in the yolk and Ca concentration in the eggshell. In conclusion, supplemental NanoCrPic improved Cr and Ca accumulation in the liver and egg, improved Zn and Mn retention in layer chickens.

This study was conducted to investigate the effects of different levels nanoparticles of chromium picolinate (NanoCrPic) on the performance, immune responses, mineral retention, and tissues accumulation of chickens. A total of 180 broilers were randomly allocated into 0 (control), 500 ppb (µg kg -1 ) Cr and 3000 ppb Cr groups with 6 replicates (10 birds/pen) for a 35-day experiment, the Cr is nanoparticles of chromium picolinate (NanoCrPic). In addition, 36 birds were used for metabolic experimental investigation. The results of the experimentation indicated that there were no significant differences in average body weight gain between groups, but feed conversion ratio (FCR) in 3000 ppb group was better than control group during 1-21 days. The carcass yields slightly lower in 3000 ppb group than control (p<0.1). Retention ratio of Zn, Fe, Mn, Ca, and P were significantly (p<0.05) increased in the 500 ppb Cr group. The addition of NanoCrPic caused increased mineral concentrations, such as Cr, Ca and P in the subjects' livers. Furthermore, the addition of NanoCrPic significantly increased lymphocytes and decreased both heterophils and H/L ratio (p<0.05). The ND (Newcastle disease) antibody titer was not affected in the broilers. In conclusion, supplemental NanoCrPic improved the retention of Zn, Fe Ca, notably it increased the concentration of Cr and Ca in the liver, and also increased the number of lymphocytes in broiler chickens.