The effect of chromium picolinate supplementation to diets for chick broilers

Cockerels and pullers of commercial hybrid ROSS 208 included in a feeding t rial received chromium in form of chromium picolinate (prepared from 2-meth ylpyridine by a described method) added to standard feed mixtures (containi ng less than 100 mu g/kg total chromium) at a dose 300 mu g/kg. Broilers, m ales and females separately, were divided into weight-balanced groups of 44 individuals each. One variant comprised three groups. Chromium picolinate supplementation increased body weight of cockerels to 1 792 +/- 24.205 g (a gainst 1 745 +/- 20.944 g in control) in the period between 22 and 42 days; it was an average increase in body weight by ca. 47 g. Total body weight o f cockerels in the experimental variant was 2 326 +/- 22.881 g, it was by 5 4 g more than in the control, and the increase was statistically significan t. A similar statistically significant increase in body weight was recorded in the experimental variant of pullets at 22-42 days of age; it was 1 371 +/- 16.238 g in control against 1 407 +/- 19.292 g in experimental variant. Total body weight of pullers for the whole production period (42 days) amo unted to 1 883 +/- 19.292 g (experimental variant) in comparison with 1 850 +/- 20.530 g (control); this increase was insignificant. Feed conversion w as basically identical in both sexes. Feed consumption per unit weight gain was insignificantly reduced by chromium supplementation to feed mixtures. The weight of breast and thigh muscles increased statistically insignifican tly as a result of chromium supplementation in form of the salt of pyridine carboxyl acid: from 231.3 +/- 7.721 g to 249.3 +/- 8.692 g in breast muscle , and from 320.3 +/- 12.753 g to 349.3 +/- 14.754 g in thigh muscle. An inc rease in the weight of these muscles in pullets was statistically insignifi cant. Fat content in tissues was insignificantly lower in experimental vari ants.