ROLE OF INORGANIC CHROMIUM IN MODULATING PERFORMANCE AND IMMUNITY IN BROILERS

MOHAMED, F; AFIFI, MANAL

doi:10.21608/vmjg.2001.371894

ROLE OF INORGANIC CHROMIUM IN MODULATING PERFORMANCE AND IMMUNITY IN BROILERS

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

F MOHAMED ¹
MANAL AFIFI ²

¹ Dept. of Poultry Diseases. Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Cairo University, Giza 12211, Egypt

² Dept. of Nutrition and Clinical Nutrition, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Cairo University, Giza 12211, Egypt

10.21608/vmjg.2001.371894

Abstract

A 6-weeks study was conducted to investigate the Effect of dietary supplementation of inorganic Chromium as chromium chloride on performance And immunity of broilers. A total of 270, day-old Hubbard broiler chicks were divided into three Dietary groups in a 3X3 factorial design. The first Group was fed on a basal control diet (Control Group). The second group was fed on the basal Dict supplemented with 20 ppm chromium chloride. While the third group was fed on the basal control diet supplemented with 40 ppm chromium Chloride. Results indicated that there was a highly Significant (P<0.01) improvement in all chromium supplemented groups (20 and 40 ppm) Throughout the experimental period regarding Body weight development. However, statistical Analysis revealed non-significant differences be- Tween 20 and 40 ppm chromium supplementation. Chromium also improved weight gain, reduced Feed intake and improved feed conversion. Results of lymphocyte blastogenesis in chickens reveled that 20 ppm chromium supplementation Significantly (P<0.05) increased the stimulation Index 21, 28 and 35 days from the beginning of The study while the stimulating effect of 40 ppm Chromium supplementation significantly (P<0.05) Increased the stimulation index earlier at 14 days.Moreover, chromium supplementation at a level Of 20 and 40 ppm significantly (P<0.05) increased The haemagglutinin (HA) antibody titre 21 and 28 Days post immunization with sheep red blood Cells (SRBCs) but birds received 40 ppm chromium showed earlier higher HA titre. There is a General agreement between the results of the immuno-assays, histopathological examination as Well as the indices of the lymphoid organs in terms of enhancing the immune response. Results of the serum chemistry profile indicated that chro- mium supplementation had no significant effect on serum glucose, total protein or albumin. Inor- ganic chromium significantly (P< 0.05) reduced serum total cholesterol, serum triglycerides as well as LDL cholesterol and increased the serum HDL cholesterol. The chromium dietary supple- mentation had no effect on serum alkaline phos- phatase, serum ALT, serum AST or serum uric acid indicating that inorganic dietary chromium had no deleterious effect on the liver or kidney functions.

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