Effects of chromium supplementation to feedlot steers on growth performance, insulin sensitivity, and carcass characteristics1

Abstract

Objectives were to determine the effects of chromium propionate supplementation on growth performance, insulin and glucose metabolism, and carcass characteristics of beef cattle. Steers ( = 34) were stratified by BW and assigned to 1 of 2 treatments: 1) no supplemental Cr (Cont) or 2) 3 mg supplemental Cr·steer·d (CrP). Both supplements, Cont and CrP, were delivered via 0.454 kg ground corn top-dressed on the basal diet. There was no effect ( ≥ 0.45) of CrP on ADG, DMI, G:F, or final BW. However, steers fed CrP needed more ( = 0.10) days on feed (DOF) to achieve the same carcass back fat (BF) as steers fed Cont. There were no effects ( ≥ 0.41) of CrP on HCW, BF, or KPH. Steers fed CrP had increased ( = 0.01) dressing percentage (DP) and tended to have a 4.21 cm greater LM area ( = 0.15), decreased marbling scores ( = 0.11), and decreased intramuscular fat ( = 0.11) compared to steers fed Cont. There were no differences ( ≥ 0.25) in quality or yield grade distributions. A glucose tolerance test was conducted early (21 DOF) and late (98 DOF) in the finishing phase. There was a feedlot treatment (FT) × time × DOF interaction ( = 0.08) for glucose concentrations, but no other interactions ( ≥ 0.21) for glucose or insulin concentrations. There were no FT × DOF interactions ( ≥ 0.21) for insulin area under the curve (iAUC), insulin:glucose ratio, insulin or glucose baseline, or peak insulin or glucose concentrations. At 21 DOF, steers fed CrP had decreased glucose area under the curve (gAUC; = 0.01), decreased glucose clearance rate (; = 0.02), and increased glucose half-life (T; = 0.07) compared to steers fed Cont; however, by 98 DOF, no differences were observed between treatments. At 98 DOF, all steers, regardless of treatment, had increased ( < 0.01) peak glucose and insulin, , iAUC, insulin:glucose ratio, and baseline insulin when compared to values at 21 DOF, but gAUC and T decreased ( < 0.01). Although steers fed CrP tended ( = 0.11) to have increased baseline glucose concentrations compared to steers fed Cont, CrP supplementation did not affect ( ≥ 0.17) other measures of glucose or insulin. Results of this study indicate that CrP increased DP and tended to increase LM area but tended to decrease intramuscular fat, with no effect on growth performance. With increased DOF, all steers became more insulin resistant, using more insulin to clear less glucose, and these effects were not mitigated by CrP supplementation.

Effects of Bacillus subtilis PB6 and/or chromium propionate supplementation on clinical health, growth performance, and carcass traits of high-risk cattle during the feedlot receiving and finishing periods1

“…Glucose is then metabolized to regenerate NADPH consumed by the enzyme catalyzation ( Babior, 1984 ). It is well documented that supplemental chromium modulates glucose and insulin metabolism of cattle ( Kegley et al, 2000 ; Swanson et al, 2000 ; Sumner et al, 2007 ; Yan et al, 2008 ; Bernhard et al, 2012a ; Spears et al, 2012 ; Kneeskern et al, 2016 ). Therefore, as chromium aids in glucose uptake, glucose may be more readily available to regenerate the respiratory burst process and potentially improve the immune response of the animal.…”

Influence of food deprivation on intravenous glucose tolerance test traits in Holstein Friesian heifers

“…In cattle, ivGTT is commonly used to test for conditions such as insulin resistance (De Koster and Opsomer, 2013) or determine the levels of insulin sensitivity (Abuelo et al, 2016). The test can also predict changes in nonesterified fatty acids (Boston et al, 2008) and determine the effects of certain diets on energy metabolism (Kneeskern et al, 2016). Furthermore, Pieper et al (2016) found high heritability for some ivGTT traits in young Holstein bulls including GA and GHLT with estimated heritabilities of 0.43 and 0.40, respectively.…”

Performance and carcass traits of heifers Rubia Gallega x Nellore supplemented with chromium picolinate

“…LEA is a cross-sectional measurement of the vertebral column of the animal, between Kneeskern et al (2016), which evidenced the need to keep steers supplemented with CrP for longer time in finishing to reach the same degree of finish of the animals not supplemented with the mineral. There was no difference (p> 0.05) in the SFT between the genetic groups, although there was a difference in the FIN scores attributed to the carcasses of these animals.…”

“…As it participates in energy metabolism, it is assumed that Cr may influence in the quality of the carcass of the animals (Polizel Neto et al, 2009a), which resulted in research focusing on the supplementation of cattle (Domínguez-Vara Com. Sci., Bom Jesus, v.10, n.2, p.278-285, Apr./Jun. 2019 Kneeskern et al, 2016;Oliveira et al, 2016).…”