title: Performance, egg quality traits, and serum metabolite concentrations of laying hens affected by dietary supplemental chromium picolinate and vitamin C under a heat-stress condition.
abstract: A 3 × 2 factorial experiment consisting three levels (0, 200, and 400 μg/kg) of chromium (chromium picolinate) and two levels (0 and 250 mg/kg) of vitamin C was employed to evaluate the effects of these dietary supplements on performance, egg quality traits, and serum biochemical parameters of heat-stressed laying hens (Lohmann LSL-Lite) from 66 to 74 weeks of age. Feed intake increased when birds were given either 400 μg/kg chromium or 250 mg/kg vitamin C (P < 0.05), but the birds that received both chromium and vitamin C consumed feed similar to those that received only chromium. Dietary treatments had no effect on egg production, egg mass, egg volume, feed conversion ratio, and body mass (P > 0.05). The birds that fed on diet with chromium or vitamin C produced eggs with higher shell mass and thickness compared to the control. Both eggshell mass and thickness decreased when vitamin C and chromium were supplemented simultaneously, and birds given the diet supplemented with 400 μg/kg chromium and 250 mg/kg vitamin C had eggshell mass and thickness similar to those of the control group. The serum concentration of chromium increased due to increasing level of dietary chromium (P < 0.05). The birds that received diet with chromium and vitamin C had higher serum concentrations of chromium compared to those that received only chromium (P < 0.05). Similarly, the hens that received chromium and vitamin C had higher serum concentrations of calcium and phosphorus compared to the hens fed with other treatments (P < 0.05). The birds given with supplemental chromium exhibited lower serum glucose, total cholesterol, and triglycerides concentrations but higher serum albumin and total protein concentrations compared to the other groups (P < 0.05).
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Agriculture, Razi University, Imam Avenue, Kermanshah, P.O. Box 6715685418, Iran, torki@razi.ac.ir.
authors.forename: Mehran
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Torki
authors.forename: Samira
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zangeneh
authors.forename: Mahmood
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Habibian
mesh_terms: D000821:Animal Feed / Q000032:analysis; D000818:Animals; D001205:Ascorbic Acid / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism; D001798:Blood Proteins / Q000032:analysis; D002645:Chickens / Q000097:blood* / Q000502:physiology; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism; D002857:Chromium / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004032:Diet / Q000662:veterinary; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D004530:Egg Yolk / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D004531:Eggs / Q000032:analysis / Q000592:standards; D005260:Female; D018882:Heat Stress Disorders / Q000097:blood* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000662:veterinary; D052287:Oviparity / Q000187:drug effects*; D010848:Picolinic Acids / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011201:Poultry Diseases / Q000097:blood* / Q000503:physiopathology
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D001798:Blood Proteins; D010848:Picolinic Acids; D002857:Chromium; D002784:Cholesterol; D001205:Ascorbic Acid; C030614:picolinic acid