Broilers in heat stress conditions: Effects of dietary manganese proteinate or chromium picolinate supplementation

Any practice which results in broiler carcass fat reduction will benefit th e poultry industry. Because the trace minerals chromium and manganese have both been implicated in lipid and carbohydrate metabolism, this study was c onducted to investigate the effects of supplemental chromium picolinate (Cr Pic) or manganese proteinate (MnPro) on performance of heat-distressed broi ler chickens. Dietary CrPic supplementation increased total gain and feed e fficiency. Birds fed 240 mg/kg Mn had a higher percentage of abdominal fat pad (AFP) when housed under heat stress (HS), but lower AFP in a thermoneut ral (TN) conditions reduced gain and feed intake, increased feed efficiency , decreased abdominal fat, and increased percentage yield of carcass, breas t, and leg. Based on these results, CrPic supplementation under HS or TN im proves live performance and few carcass characteristics. Further, a high le vel of MnPro supplementation appears to be beneficial under TN conditions. Certainly, additional studies are required.