Effect of chromium supplementation on growth performance, meal pattern, metabolic and antioxidant status and insulin sensitivity of summer-exposed weaned dairy calves

Abstract

Stressful situations may result in serum chromium (Cr) depletion with increased urinary excretion of the mineral and increased Cr requirements. The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of Cr supplementation on growth performance, feeding behavior, blood metabolites and hormones, indicators of oxidative stress and glucose-insulin kinetics of summer-exposed weaned dairy calves. In total, 48 Holstein female calves (63 days of age; 77.0±1.45 kg of BW) were assigned randomly to one of two treatments: (1) a control group with no supplemental Cr (Cr−), and (2) a supplemental Cr group (Cr+) to supply 0.05 mg Cr as Cr-methionine/kg of BW0.75. Chromium was provided in the starter feed and adjusted weekly based on BW over the experimental period. All calves were on experiment for 4 weeks after weaning. The average maximum temperature–humidity index was 76.1 units during the study period, indicating a mild degree of environmental heat load. Results indicated that in summer-exposed dairy calves, increased dietary Cr provision tended to decrease fecal score, tended to change rumination pattern, increased antioxidant capacity by increasing serum concentration of catalase, but had no effects on growth performance, metabolic status or peripheral glucose and insulin metabolism.

Grain source and chromium supplementation: Effects on health, metabolic status, and glucose-insulin kinetics in Holstein heifer calves

“…In line with Kargar et al (2018a,b) and Mousavi et al (2019a), the present study showed that blood levels of glucose, insulin, insulin: glucose ratio, T 3 , T 4 , or T 3 :T 4 ratio were not influenced by Cr supplementation. In line with the present findings, Cr supplementation increased blood levels of cortisol in heat-stressed calves (Yari et al, 2010).…”

“…There are reports in growing dairy heifers indicating that Cr supplementation may increase glucose disposal rate or decrease T 1/2 (Jovanović et al, 2017;Mousavi et al, 2019b) or decrease insulin release or AUC (Yari et al, 2010;Spears et al, 2012). In the present trial, glucose kinetics data were not affected by supplementing Cr, which is in line with previous reports by Mousavi et al (2019a), who supplemented 0.05 mg of Cr-Met/kg of BW to dairy calves after weaning. In a trial by Yari et al (2010), Cr-Met supplementation decreased insulin AUC following glucose infusion without affecting glucose AUC.…”

“…Another report also suggested a tendency for higher glucose disappearance rate in dairy calves receiving 0.05 mg of supplemental Cr-Met/kg of BW, although insulin sensitivity was not affected (Mousavi et al, 2019b). Contradictory to the present observations, Mousavi et al (2019a) found no significant changes in glucose or insulin kinetics following a GTT in postweaning dairy calves when Cr-Met was supplemented at 0.05 mg/kg of BW. No changes in insulin sensitivity in CBD calves were found as a result of supplemental Cr, suggesting that Cr could be more effective in the diets based on rapidly versus slowly fermentable starch sources (barley vs. corn in the present study).…”

“…Mousavi et al (2019b) reported that supplementing Cr (as Cr-Met at 0.05 mg/kg of BW 0.75 ) to environmentally heat-stressed dairy calves decreased the number of days with pneumonia (−0.92 d) after weaning. Lower fecal score was reported earlier when Cr was fed to dairy calves (Ghorbani et al, 2012;Mousavi et al, 2019a). In the current trial, feeding Cr decreased RR, which is in line with the previous reports (Kargar et al, 2018a,b); however, a higher RR was reported in calves fed 0.03 mg of supplemental Cr/kg of BW 0.75 , although the animals remained healthy overall with no mortality (Ghorbani et al, 2012).…”

Dietary supplementation with pioglitazone hydrochloride and chromium methionine manipulates lipid metabolism with related genes to improve the intramuscular fat and fatty acid profile of yellow‐feathered chickens

“…Chromium methionine (CrMet), in particular, has been considered one of the best options for protecting the increased IMF content from oxidation . However, studies on the antioxidant effect of CrMet have mainly focused on mammals . Furthermore, diets supplemented with CrMet increased the muscle marbling score and PUFA contents, improving meat quality in steers .…”