THE EFFECT OF A SUPPLEMENT OF CHROMIUM (PICOLINATE) ON THE LEVEL OF BLOOD GLUCOSE, INSULIN ACTIVITY AND CHANGES IN LABORATORY EVALUATION OF THE EJACULATE OF BREEDING BOARS

The experiment was based on feeding the organic form of chromium (picolinate) and the assessment of its eff ect on the level of blood glucose, insulin activity and changes in the laboratory values of the ejaculate (sperm motility, ejaculate volume, sperm concentration and per cent of pathological sperm) in breeding boars. The experiment involved 40 boars divided into two equal groups. Boars of the experimental group (n = 21) received 181.81 ?g of chromium per kg of feed ration (FR) administered perorally, in the control group (n = 19) chromium intake was not increased. The chromium supplement signifi cantly (P < 0.05) increased cell absorption of blood glucose in the experimental group of boars as against the control group. There was no diff erence in insulin activity between the two groups. Changes in laboratory values of the ejaculate were evaluated and no signifi cant diff erences were discovered in any of the parameters. During the experiment the sperm concentration and motility were absolutely the same in boars of both groups; it can therefore be concluded that increasing the level of chromium in the feed ration of boars of the experimental group had no direct eff ect on these parameters. It was the same in the case of the ejaculate volume which gradually decreased between periods 1 and 4, in boars receiving chromium by 12.8 % and in the control group by 8.1 %. The benefi cial eff ect of chromium was seen in the reduced count of pathological sperm in boars in periods 3 and 4 of tests as against boars of the control group. In spite of the considerable 26.3 % diff erence between the groups this decrease was not statistically signifi cant. Data evaluation revealed a signifi cant correlation (P < 0.01) between the number of samplings per boar and sperm concentration. A correlation (P < 0.05) was also detected between the ejaculate volume and sperm concentration