Abstract
A trial was conducted to study the effect of supplemental chromium (Cr) levels from a Cr-yeast source on performance, digestibility and carcass characteristics of transport-stressed lambs. Forty-eight Naemi lambs (avg. BW 31.7 kg) were transported by truck for a distance of 1,450 km. On arrival day, the lambs were randomly allocated to four groups receiving diets supplemented with 0.0, 0.3, 0.6 or 0.9 ppm Cr. Each group consisted of four separately housed replicates of three lambs each. The lambs were fed their respective diets ad libitum for 84 d (21 d stress period, followed by 63 d growing period). Road transit of lambs resulted in a decreased (p<0.001) live body weight of 8.5%. Supplementation of Cr-yeast did not alter the performance of lambs during the stress period. Linear and quadratic increases (p<0.05) were observed in DMI and ADG, respectively, with increasing supplemental Cr levels in the diets during the growing period. Values were greater (p<0.05) by 14.7% and 20.8%, respectively, for lambs fed 0.3 ppm Cr compared to control, while those fed on the other two levels were intermediate. Over the 84-d feeding period, a trend was noted towards a slight increase in loin eye area and a decrease in body wall fat thickness for lambs fed Cr supplementation compared to the control group. This study suggests that the supplementation of Cr-yeast, especially at 0.3 ppm level, is beneficial for improving the performance of growing lambs whether the animals are stressed or not.
Highlights
Trivalent chromium (Cr) is a structural component of a glucose tolerance factor which potentiates the action of insulin; it is an essential trace element for normal metabolism of carbohydrate, lipids, protein, and nucleic acids in humans and laboratory animals (Anderson, 1987; Abraham et al, 1991; Mertz, 1993)
Transportation of the lambs (n = 48) for about 1,450 km (~30 h) resulted in a significant (p
Supplementation of Cr-yeast to transport-stressed lambs does not alter their performance up to 21 d post arrival. This contrasts with calves, in which Cr supplementation following transportation enhances performance of the stressed animals
Summary
Trivalent chromium (Cr) is a structural component of a glucose tolerance factor which potentiates the action of insulin; it is an essential trace element for normal metabolism of carbohydrate, lipids, protein, and nucleic acids in humans and laboratory animals (Anderson, 1987; Abraham et al, 1991; Mertz, 1993). Cr supplementation protects against stress-induced losses of several trace elements (Schrauzer et al, 1986). The magnitude of metabolic response to Cr apparently depends on the chemical form of Cr; the organic form seems to be utilized more effectively than the inorganic form (Page et al, 1993). A number of studies suggested that supplemental organic Cr may be important in ruminant nutrition, especially in the presence of stressors, such as transit stress or stress during early lactation. Studies with newly-arrived stressed calves have shown a beneficial.
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