Efficiency of nutrient utilization and reproductive performance of pre‐pubertal anestrous dairy heifers supplemented with inorganic and organic chromium compounds

Abstract

An on-farm trial was conducted to ascertain the effects of chromium supplementation on the nutrient utilization and reproductive performance of cross-bred (Bos taurus × Bos indicus) prepubertal anestrous dairy heifers. Chromium was supplemented (0, 0.25, 0.5 and 1.0 mg kg −1 diet dry matter) as chromium chloride hexahydrate or chromium-yeast complex. The intake of the total digestible nutrients (P < 0.01) and body weight gain (P < 0.05) increased with supplementation of chromium. Chromium-yeast supplementation resulted in a dose-dependent increment (P < 0.01) in the total digestible nutrient intake. Intake and apparent absorption of chromium increased linearly (P < 0.001) with the dose. Chromium chloride tended to be better absorbed (P < 0.10) than the chromium-yeast complex. The source of supplemental chromium did not affect the plasma concentrations of glucose, cholesterol, total protein and albumin. The postprandial plasma glucose concentration in the control group increased by 38% versus 0.27 and 1.1% in the heifers supplemented with 1.0 mg Cr kg −1 dry matter as chromium chloride and chromium-yeast complex, respectively. The postprandial increment in the plasma cholesterol was also generally lower in the supplemented heifers. The plasma chromium concentration varied (P < 0.05) between the groups, although it was difficult to correlate these changes with the sources and doses of supplemental chromium. Chromium chloride and chromium-yeast supplementation resulted in similar changes in the plasma concentrations of copper, zinc, iron and manganese (P > 0.05). Plasma concentrations of copper and zinc, which increased (P < 0.001) with chromium supplementation, declined quadratically (P < 0.05) as the dose of supplemental chromium increased. At the end of the supplementation, two, four and three heifers fed with 0.25, 0.5 and 1.0 mg Cr kg −1 dry matter (as chromium chloride), respectively, developed Graffian follicles and showed estrus; the numbers were one, three and four in the corresponding groups fed with chromium-yeast complex and one, two and three heifers amongst them showed estrus. All the supplemented animals showing estrus conceived and no abortion was reported during the first trimester of their pregnancy. It was concluded that chromium supplementation could appreciably enhance the nutrient utilization and the reproductive performance in anestrous dairy heifers and inorganic trivalent chromium (CrCl 3 .6H 2 O) supplementation might be as useful as a chromium-yeast complex for this purpose.

Glucose tolerance and serum concentrations of hormones and metabolites in goats (Capra hircus) fed diets supplemented with inorganic and organic chromium salts

“…The cholesterol lowering effect of added dietary Cr observed in this study was consistent with our earlier work with pre-pubertal dairy heifers (Biswas et al, 2006). The hypocholesterolemic effect of supplemental Cr may be related to an augmented insulin action which might have increased lipogenesis and reduced lipolysis, the result being lowered circulatory lipid concentration (Mertz, 1993;Spears, 1999).…”

“…Cr is considered to be an integral part of the glucose tolerance factor, which facilitates the cellular binding and action of insulin (DePew et al, 1998). It has been reported that supplemental Cr feeding may improve body weight and feed efficiency in pigs (Page et al, 1993), broiler chickens (Ahmed et al, 2005), goats (Paul et al, 2005) and dairy heifers (Biswas et al, 2006). On the other hand Cr supplementation has been found to have no relationship with body weight and associated performance traits in ruminating feeder calves (Bunting et al, 1994;Kegley and Spears, 1995), steers (Besong et al, 2001), dairy cows (Hayirli et al, 2001) and sheep (Kitchalong et al, 1995;Sano et al, 2000).…”

Effects of dietary chromium supplementation on glucose tolerance and primary antibody response against peste des petits ruminants in dwarf Bengal goats (Capra hircus)

“…However, trivalent Cr itself does not have the capacity to cross the cell membrane and hence has no biological or nutritional value (Borel et al, 1984). Organic ligands are required for Cr to be biologically available and active (Burton, 1995) and this explains the responses of the lesser magnitude in broilers (Amatya et al, 2004) and dairy heifers (Biswas et al, 2006) supplemented with inorganic Cr salts.…”

“…Inorganic Cr salts like chromic chloride (CrCl 3 ) are relatively less available for absorption (Mordenti et al, 1997) and hence are of little biological significance. However, some recent publications indicate that supplementation of CrCl 3 may also improve growth and productive performance in non-stressed goats (Paul et al, 2005;Haldar et al, 2006), dairy heifers (Biswas et al, 2006) and broiler chickens (Ahmed et al, 2005). Additionally, little difference in glucose tolerance was observed when goats were supplemented with CrCl 3 or Cr-yeast complex (Haldar et al, 2007).…”

Performance Traits and Metabolic Responses in Goats (Capra hircus) Supplemented with Inorganic Trivalent Chromium

“…In goats, supplementation of 0.5 to 1.5 mg of inorganic Cr for 150 days enhanced growth and improved glucose metabolism [3]. In prepubertal anestrous dairy heifer, supplementation of 0.5 to 2.0 mg Cr as chromic chloride (CrCl 3 ·6H 2 O) and Cr yeast complex for 120 days improved productive and reproductive performances [4]. However, the production criteria and metabolic responses of ruminants are yet to be ascertained if Cr supplementation is prolonged further.…”