Different doses and forms of chromium in diets for young pigs

Abstract

The level of biogenic significance of chromium in animals is determined by a generous amount of vital pro­cesses it participates in. The trivalent form of chromium (III) has biological significance. Standard chromium level in diets for farm animals currently vary from 0.2 to 4.2 mg per 1 kg of dry matter, and chromium is represented mainly by compounds in the form of salts and chelates. A distinctive feature of microelement nanoparticles is the ability to activate physiological and biochemical processes when used in very small doses. The paper dwells on study of different doses and forms of chromium in diets for young pigs: in the form of sulphate (4.16 mg/kg of dry matter of feed) and in the form of nanoparticles (0.5, 0.083, 0.05, 0.02 mg/kg of dry matter of feed). Research showed that enrichment of diets with chromium in the form of nanoparticles © Голушко В. М., Кравченко А. В., Линкевич С. А., 2019 in the amount of 0.05 mg per 1 kg of dry matter was most effective. It was determined that use of chromium nanoparticles for feeding pigs by adding them to water, the feed was kneaded up to obtain loose porridge, was more efficient than spraying on wheat bran. The positive effect of feeding animals with chromium nanoparticles on meat traits of carcass was revealed. A high assessment of biological safety of slaughter products of experimental pigs using test organisms of Tetrahymena piri­formis and laboratory mice was determined. The data obtained in the course of research allow to recommend using chromium nanoparticles in the amount of 0.05 mg per 1 kg of dry matter of feed for young pigs during rearing and fattening periods in order to increase the average daily weight gain, reduce feed cost for its production, improve meat products quality and pro­duction economic efficiency.