Abstract
This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of supplemental chromium on performance and blood serum biochemistry of dairy cows. Thus, 20 multiparous Holstein cows (parity 3) were equally divided into two groups, group one (control), which received no chromium supplementation and group two (treatment) which received 5 g/day chromium methionine from week 5 prior to parturition until 12 weeks thereafter. Milk production and milk composition were evaluated on 4, 8 and 12 weeks after parturition. Serum biochemistry concentrations (serum glucose, cholesterol, triglyceride, total protein, and cortisol and insulin concentration) and blood hematology (red blood cell, hematocrit, hemoglobin concentration and percentage neutrophils, lymphocytes, monocytes, basophiles, eosinophils and ratio of neutrophils to lymphocytes) were measured on 2 and 5 weeks prior to parturition and 1 and 4 weeks thereafter. Results indicate that milk production was significantly affected by chromium-methionine supplementation during the entire period (P<0.01) but no significant effect on milk composition was found. Supplemental chromium had no significant effect on serum glucose, cholesterol, triglycerides and insulin concentration and blood hematology parameters (P<0.05). However, chromium supplementation tended to increase significantly, serum total protein concentration and decrease cortisol concentration (P<0.05). The results of this experiment showed that chromium methionine supplementation in multiparous dairy cows diet may improve their milk yield in transition period. Key words: Dairy cow, transition period, chromium-methionine, milk yield, serum biochemistry.
Highlights
Chromium is a transitional element with an atomic number “24” and an atomic weight of 51.996
This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of supplemental chromium on performance and blood serum biochemistry of dairy cows
Results indicate that milk production was significantly affected by chromium-methionine supplementation during the entire period (P
Summary
Chromium is a transitional element with an atomic number “24” and an atomic weight of 51.996. Chromium was first shown to be essential in swine by Schwartz and Mertz (1959) when they isolated “glucose tolerance factor” (GTF) from swine kidney. This element has been reported to play essential roles in activity of certain enzymes, metabolism of protein and nucleic acids, as well as impact on immune functions (Beitz and Horst, 1997). In studies conducted in dairy cows, chromium supplementation has been shown to increase dry matter intake (Besong et al, 1996; Hayirli et al, 2001; Smith et al, 2002), increase milk yields (Besong et al, 1996; Hayirli et al, 2001; Smith et al, 2002), reduce blood nonesterified fatty acid (NEFA) concentration (Bryan et al, 2004; Depew et al, 1998; Hayirli et al, 2001; Yang et al, 1996), improve fertility (Yang et al, 1996; Bryan et al, 2004; Pechova et al, 2003) and decrease placental retention, and udder edema in older cows (Hayirli et al, 2001; Yang et al, 1996; Villalobos et al, 1997; Stahlhut, 2004; Bryan et al, 2004 ; Burton et al, 1993; Besong et al, 1996)
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