Effect of Chromium Picolonate on Growth, Blood Parameters and Carcass Traits of Growing New Zealand White Rabbits.

Abstract

Total of 20 New Zealand White (NZW) male bunnies weaned at 5 weeks of age having average live body weight of 620±20.2 g were used in experiment study to study the effect of daily treatment of chromium picolinate (CrP) on growth performance in relation to blood parameters, carcass traits, chemical analysis of meat and economic efficiency. Rabbits were divided into 2 groups, 10 animals in each. Rabbits in the 1 st group were served as control (G1) without any treatment. However, those in the 2 nd group (G2) were given daily oral dose from CrP at levels of 9 μg/kg body weight from 5 up to 10 weeks of age. All growing rabbits were kept under similar feeding and managerial conditions. Blood samples were collected biweekly for Cr determination and at slaughtering for biochemical determination. Three males from each group were randomly taken and slaughtered at 13 weeks of age for carcass traits and chemical composition of meat. Results show a tendency of slight improvement in growth performance of treated than in control rabbits, but the differences were not significant. Treatment with CrP decreased (P<0.05) concentration of albumin, albumin/globulin ratio, glucose, cholesterol, urea and creatinine, and activity of AST and ALT in serum. The group differences in concentration of total protein and globulin concentration were not significant. An increase (P<0.05) in net carcass weight and total weight of edible organs was observed in treated compared with control rabbits, reflecting impact of CrP treatment on dressing percentage (61.1 and 56.6%, respectively). Absolute and relative weights of heart were almost higher in treated than in control group. Weight of skin and legs was heavier in control than in treated group (433.3 vs. 369.7 g). Crude protein content in meat was higher (P<0.05) in G2 than in G1 (70.7 vs. 63.8%). Content of EE tended to decrease from 31.5% in G1 to 24.5% in G2. Chromium concentration was higher (P<0.05) in serum of G2 than in G1 by about 15%. Rabbits in G2 had higher Cr concentration in serum at all sampling times and in meat after slaughter (1.53 vs. 1.36 ppm) in G2 than in G1. Viability rate was 100 in G1 and G2 during the experimental period. Based on the foregoing results of the current study, treatment of growing rabbits with daily oral dose of chromium piclonate at a level of 9 µg/kg LBW improved growth performance, feed conversion, carcass quality and net revenue. The obtained high CP and Cr contents and low fat content in meat of rabbits treated with Cr may suggest the possibility of its consumption for diabetic patients and as anticholesteroleamic meat.

The Action of Chromium, Insulin or Their Combination on Productive and Reproductive Performance of Rabbit Does and Their Offspring.

“…These results are logic and in accordance with level of Cr treatment in different treatment groups. In this respect, El-Ayek et al (2009) found similar values of control group fed similar diet to that fed in this study. Also they observed similar trend of increasing Cr concentration in serum of Cr treated than in control rabbits by about 15%.…”

“…Such results indicated nearly similarity in growth performance of bunnies produced from rabbit does in all treated does and those in the control group, but the superiority of does in INS and Cr+INS groups was mainly related to viability rate of bunnies throughout the suckling period. Similar reduction in growth rate of NZW and California bunnies produced by does treated with Cr at two levels as compared to the controls was reported by El-Ayek et al (2009) and Nasif ( 2008), respectively. Table (7 In accordance with the present results, Lindemann et al (2004) found that supplemental CrP increased the number of pigs born live per litter, but decreased individual birth weight of total pigs born, being 1.61, 1.57, 1.47, and 1.56 kg for levels of 0, 200, 600, 1000 ppb as-fed basis, respectively.…”

“…Generally, values of all blood parameters studied are within the normal range of rabbits as reported by El-Ayek et al (2009). In contrast to the present results, El-Ayek et al (2009) showed significant (P<0.05) decrease in activity of AST and ALT in serum of treated growing rabbits (males and females) as compared to the control ones.…”

“…It is of interest to note that the rate of reduction in glucose concentration was higher in Cr or Cr+INS groups than in INS group, which may indicate important role of Cr in carbohydrate metabolism. The observed decrease in glucose concentration in Cr treated rabbits was proven by El-Ayek et al (2009) in serum of rabbits and indicated in plasma of turkey (Chen et al, 2001) and broilers (Uyanik et al, 2002). In this line, Cupo and Donaldson (1987) reported that dietary Cr supplementation increased rate of glucose utilization in liver tissue, which explains the decrease in glucose levels obtained in this study.…”

“…Improvement in glucose tolerance after Cr supplementation is the most sufficient means to determine if Cr is limiting insulin responsiveness. Previous Cr researches in rabbits has been conducted in growing rabbits (El-Ayek et al, 2009), rabbit does (Hamed, 2005) and rabbit bucks (Nasif, 2008). Chromium potentiates the action of insulin (Davis andVincent, 1997 andMatthews et al, 2001).…”