Effects of the Chromium Methionine Supplementation on Performance, Serum Metabolites and Carcass Traits in Broiler Chickens

We investigated the effects of dietary supplementation with chromium methionine on the performance, serum metabolite profile and carcass traits in broiler chickens. Two hundred and eighty eight male broiler chicks (Ross 308) were allocated to four treatment groups in a completely randomized trial design. Treatment diets were supplemented with 0 (control), 200, 400 or 800 ppb of chromium methionine (CrMet) and administered over a starter (0-21) and finisher (21-42) period. The body weight (BW) improved significantly in broilers receiving the 200 ppb CrMet supplement compared with the control animals over the 0-42 day experimental period (P < 0.05). The feed intake (FI) and feed conversion rate (FCR) were unaffected by CrMet supplementation at all levels (P > 0.05). However, dietary supplementation with CrMet reduced the glucose (GLU) and triacylglycerol (TG) levels, but increased the serum high density lipoprotein (HDL) and phospholipids (PhL) concentration (P < 0.05). Supplementation with 800 ppb of CrMet increased the serum albumin (Alb) and total protein (TP) levels (P < 0.05), but the 400 ppb CrMet treatment decreased the serum phosphorus (P) and calcium (Ca) content (P < 0.05).The abdominal fat (ABF) contended to decrease following treatment with both 400 and 800 ppb CrMet. The 800 ppb CrMet dose increased the carcass yield (CY) (P < 0.05). The breast and leg weights of the broilers receiving CrMet also increased (P < 0.05), but this supplementation had no effects on the heart, liver or spleen weight as percentage of the live weight.