Influence of organic chromium supplementation on the performance of beef calves undergoing weaning-related stress

Abstract

ISSN 0100-736X (Print) ISSN 1678-5150 (Online) RESUMO.-[Influência da suplementação com cromo orgânico no desempenho de bezerros de corte submetidos ao estresse da desmama.] O estudo foi realizado para avaliar a hipótese de que a suplementação dietética com cromo antes, durante e após a desmama possa diminuir a concentração de cortisol causado por este processo em bezerros de corte. Para tal, foram utilizados 150 bezerros mestiços, machos e fêmeas, entre cinco e seis meses de idade. Os animais foram divididos randomicamente por sexo e grupo genético em dois grupos homogêneos (n=75), um mantido como controle e outro suplementado com 0,9mg de carboaminofosfoquelato de cromo/100 kg PV misturado a um sal proteinado para ser consumido na base de 0,1% do PV via creep feeding, no decorrer de 60 dias antes e 60 dias após à desmama forçada. Os animais foram pesados e foram coletadas amostras sanguíneas e urinárias no M0 (60 dias antes da desmama), M1 (desmama), M2 (48 horas após a desmama) e M3 (60 dias após à desmama) para determinação de cromo, cortisol, proteína total e albumina no sangue e da concentração urinária de creatinina e cromo. O ganho acumulado de peso foi superior nos bezerros suplementados com cromo antes da desmama e no decorrer de todo o experimento (P<0,05). A suplementação com cromo reduziu ABSTRACT.-Sousa I.Ortolani E.L. 2020. Influence of organic chromium supplementation on the performance of beef calves undergoing weaning-related stress. Pesquisa Veterinária Brasileira 40(2)97-101. Dietary chromium supplementation before, during, and after weaning was conducted to evaluate the hypothesis that chromium supplementation could reduce weaning-induced cortisol release in beef calves. We examined the effects of chromium supplementation in 150 crossbred calves (male and female) between five and six months of age. The calves were randomly divided by sex and breed into two equal homogeneous groups (n=75). One group was used as the control, and the other experimental group received supplementation with 0.9mg of chromium carbon-amino-phospho-chelate per 100kg BW. The chromium supplement was mixed with mineral salt for the consumption of 0.1% of BW, and the supplement was administered via creep feeding 60 days before and 60 days after forced weaning. Calves were weighed, and their blood and urine samples were obtained at four time-points: T0 (60 days before weaning), T1 (at weaning), T2 (48 hours after weaning), and T3 (60 days after weaning). Blood samples were used to determine chromium, cortisol, total protein, and albumin concentrations, and urine samples were used to determine urinary creatinine and chromium levels. Cumulative weight gain was higher in calves supplemented with chromium before weaning and during the experiment (P<0.05). In addition, weaning-related stress caused an increase in chromium excretion in the urine, and chromium supplementation reduced stress, which resulted in lower cortisol and total protein levels during weaning.

Effects of Parenteral Supplementation with Minerals and Vitamins on Oxidative Stress and Humoral Immune Response of Weaning Calves

“…In this trial, body weight and AWG changes were considered as health indicators, since the number of animals used, besides being appropriate for the immune and antioxidant response, was limited to evaluate productive responses in cattle due to the great variances observed, especially during weaning [ 2 ]. When protein oxidation occurs, the body might use energy to generate antioxidant defenses rather than to develop tissue [ 47 ].…”

“…Weaning is an important calf management system carried out in beef and dairy farms through different methods [ 1 ]. During weaning, calves are exposed to several stressful factors, which can lead to increases in disease susceptibility and reduced production, with decreases in body weight (BW) [ 2 , 3 ]. Weaning stress leads to a catabolic state in which oxygen reactive species are highly produced, posing a challenge for antioxidant defenses in calves [ 4 ].…”

“…Minerals such as Se, copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), chromium (Cr), and manganese (Mn), as well as vitamins A and E, increase the antioxidant capacity and consequently the immune response in calves [ 2 , 13 ]. Evidence in the literature shows that combined parenteral supplementation with Se, Cu, Zn and Mn improved immunological parameters [ 14 ] by increasing antibody response to vaccination against bovine herpes virus type 1 (BoHV-1) in steers [ 15 ] and bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV) in calves [ 16 ].…”

Suplementação mineral para bovinos de corte – uma revisão sistemática

“…No estado de São Paulo, baixos teores de enxofre nas pastagens indicam diferentes níveis de deficiência desse mineral em bovinos não suplementados (Barrêto Júnior et al, 2008). Sousa et al (2020) investigaram a suplementação com cromo orgânico em bezerros e identificaram que o ganho acumulado de peso foi superior nos bezerros suplementados com cromo antes da desmama, além de reduzir os teores de cortisol e de proteína total durante a desmama. Ou seja, a suplementação contínua e prolongada dos bezerros com cromo orgânico reduziu o estresse provocado pelo manejo de desmama.…”