Effects of chromium nicotinate on performance, carcase characteristics andblood chemistry of growing turkeys

1. The objective of this trial was to study the effects of chromium nicotin ate (Cr) supplementation on the performance, carcase characteristics and bl ood constituents of 9 to 22 week-old male turkeys. 2. Fifty-four 8-week-old male turkeys weighing 2.9+0.28 kg were allocated a t random into 9 groups with 3 dietary treatments and 3 replicates. The diet ary treatment was different dietary concentrations of chromium in the basal diet, to provide 0 (control), 1 or 3 mg/kg. The feeding trial lasted for 1 4 weeks. 3. Results showed that 1 mg/kg chromium supplementation significantly impro ved weight gain and food intake at 9 to 18 weeks of age but did not signifi cantly influence performance at 19 to 22 week of age. The breast and thigh muscle were significantly increased in birds receiving 1 mg/kg chromium sup plementation but were decreased by 3 mg/kg of supplementation. 4. Dietary chromium supplementation did not significantly influence other s erum constituents, including insulin, HDL, VLDL+LDL, HDGC, VLDGC+LDGC, tota l protein, albumin, and gamma -globulin at 18 and 22 weeks of age. 5. The serum triacylglycerol (TG) and uric acid contents were significantly increased, while glycerol and alpha -globulin were significantly reduced b y 3 mg/kg chromium supplementation. However, 1 mg/kg chromium supple mentat ion significantly reduced serum cholesterol and glycerol at 18-weeks old. A t 22 weeks of age, 1 mg/kg chromium supplementation significantly increased serum glucose and decreased the uric acid concentration whereas 3 mg/kg ch romium supplementation significantly increased the creatinine concentration and decreased beta -globulin concentration.