INFLUENCE OF ELEVATED DIETARY CHROMIUM IN TAKE ON FATTENED PIGS CR TISSUES DEPOSITION AND URINE AND FECES EXCRETION

The influence of elevated dietary chromium intake was studied in an ex periment on a total of 10 pigs divided into two groups (control and ex perimental, 5 pigs each). The experimental group had elevated chromium level in its complete feed mixture (addition of 50 mg of Cr in the fo rm of K2CrO4 added to 1 kg of feed). Feed consumption and intake of nu trients and chromium were measured during two 5-day experimental perio ds as well as urinary and faeces excretion of chromium. Tissues (muscl e, liver, lung, heart, spleen and kidneys) were sampled from two pigs after their slaughtering. In the control group, chromium retention was calculated from 89.47 up to 96.46%, whereas the values for the experi mental group were from 50.14 up to 73.34%. Higher urine and faeces chr omium excretion was observed in the experimental group. In comparison with the control group, the higher chromium level was measured in the tissues of the experimental group. Only chromium levels in the kidneys in the experimental pigs (0.69 mg Cr/kg) exceeded the permitted value for chromium in the Czech Republic (0.5 mg Cr/kg).