Growth performance, feeding behavior, health status, and blood metabolites of environmentally heat-loaded Holstein dairy calves fed diets supplemented with chromium

Abstract

We investigated the effect of Cr supplementation on growth performance, feeding behavior, health status, and blood metabolites of summer-exposed dairy calves during the pre- and postweaning periods. A total of 24 newborn Holstein female calves (1 d of age; 42.1 ± 0.89 kg of body weight) were assigned randomly to a control group (no Cr supplement; Cr-) or a Cr group (Cr+) receiving 0.05 mg of Cr/kg of body weight. During the study period, the average maximum temperature-humidity index was 81.3 units, indicating a high environmental heat load. Chromium was provided in colostrum and milk during the preweaning period, and in the starter feed during the postweaning period. Calves had free access to fresh water and starter feed throughout the experiment and were weaned on d 63. Starter feed intake and total dry matter intake were greater in Cr+ calves. Despite decreased meal frequency in Cr+ calves, during the preweaning period the starter feed intake increased due to increases in meal duration and meal size and a tendency for greater meal interval. Increased postweaning starter intake in Cr+ calves was attributed to a tendency for an increase in meal duration. Chromium-supplemented calves had greater overall weight gain, but their feed efficiency and rectal temperature were not affected by Cr treatment. Chromium supplementation tended to increase the heart girth during the preweaning and overall periods and increased the hip width during the postweaning and overall periods. Respiration rates were lower in Cr+ calves than Cr- calves during the preweaning and overall periods. During the preweaning period, the time spent in eating and ruminating per 12-h period was not affected by Cr treatment. During the postweaning period, the rumination time (min per 12-h period) was unaffected but total eating time (min per 12-h period) increased in Cr+ calves. Times spent resting, drinking, standing, lying, and in nonnutritive oral behaviors were not affected by treatments during the pre- and postweaning periods. Chromium supplementation had no effects on serum concentrations of cortisol, triiodothyronine, and thyroxine measured at weaning or the end of the trial. The Cr+ calves tended to have higher serum concentrations of glucose and a higher ratio of insulin to glucose measured at the end of the trial. In conclusion, Cr supplementation of both liquid and solid feeds improved growth performance in summer-exposed calves as a result of reduced respiration rate and increased feed intake; however, no beneficial effects were found on feed efficiency and insulin metabolism.

THE EFFECTS OF CHROMIUM MICROADDITIVE IN DIFFERENT DIETS FOR LAYING HENS (Gallus gallus L.) ON THE INTESTINAL DIGESTION AND CERTAIN BIOCHEMICAL BLOOD PARAMETERS

“…Хром входит в состав низкомолекулярного органического комплекса -фактора толерантности к глюкозе, обеспечивающего ее нормальное содержание в крови. Он действует как регулятор количества сахара в крови (1,2), обеспечивая нормальную активность инсулина. Хром вовлечен в регуляцию обмена холестерина (входит в состав трипсина) и служит активатором некоторых ферментов, участвуя в поддержании нормальной работы сердечной мышцы и функционирования кровеносных сосудов.…”

Grain source and chromium supplementation: Effects on health, metabolic status, and glucose-insulin kinetics in Holstein heifer calves

“…Chromium concentration in the starter ingredients varies widely and has not always been reported due to the difficulty in analysis (Kargar et al, 2018b). The Table 2.…”

“…With increasing calf age, a state of insulin resistance may develop, which modifies glucose utilization in peripheral tissues (Jovanović et al, 2017;Kargar et al, 2018b); therefore, we hypothesized that Cr might critically contribute to the metabolism and to efficient nutrient turnover. Apart from our interest in examining whether the type of grain (corn vs. barley) and Cr supplementation would affect metabolism, we also hypothesized that the beneficial effects on weight gain by Cr supplementation and on eating rate and rumination time as a result of Cr × grain type interaction may be due to modification of the variables involved in energy metabolism (e.g., glucose, insulin, triiodothyronine, thyroxine, and cortisol).…”

“…The lower RR in Cr-supplemented calves might be an indication of their higher capability of coping with environmental conditions accompanied by greater health and well-being. The conserved energy might have been directed to increase the final BW (being higher in Cr-supplemented calves than in nonsupplemented calves; data reported in the companion study by or used to mitigate the higher metabolic heat production due to increased feed intake (Kargar et al, 2018b).…”

КИШЕЧНОЕ ПИЩЕВАРЕНИЕ И БИОХИМИЯ КРОВИ У КУР-НЕСУШЕК (Gallus gallus L.) ПРИ ВВЕДЕНИИ В РАЦИОНЫ МИКРОДОБАВКИ ХРОМА

“…Наши экспериментальные данные также согласуются с результатами исследований (1,2), в которых показано, что хром регулирует гомеостаз глюкозы в крови, активируя рецепторы инсулина и тем самым, как уже отмечалось, модулирует сигнальную трансдукцию и повышает чувствительность к инсулину (29,30). Что касается липидного обмена, то мы, в отличие от А.А.…”