Effects of dietary supplementation of chromium methionine chelate on growth performance, oxidative stress, hematological indices, and carcass traits of broiler chickens

This study was conducted to evaluate the dietary effects of chromium methionine (Cr-Meth) chelate on growth performance, oxidative stress parameters, blood biochemistry, and carcass traits of broiler chickens. An experiment was conducted on 34,000 1-day-old straight-run broiler chicks (Indian River; 42.0 ± 0.03) at a commercial farm. The chicks were divided randomly into 3 groups; the first group contained 17,000 birds, which used as a control, whereas the second and third groups consisted of 7000 and 10,000 birds, respectively, with 5 replicates per group. A completely randomized design was used. The birds were fed the experimental diets containing graded levels of Cr-Meth chelate: 0 (control), 50, and 100 g/ton. This compound consisted of chromium (0.4%) chelated with methionine, and it supply the diets with 200 and 400 ppb Cr for the used levels of 50 and 100 g/ton feed, respectively. Growth performance indices (body weight, body weight gain, feed intake, and feed conversion ratio) were measured throughout the experiment. At the end of experiment, 10 birds per treatment were slaughtered, and the carcass yield with relative weight of the internal organs was determined. Also, blood samples were taken and analyzed for glutathione peroxidase activity, malondialdehyde, ALT, AST, total protein, albumin, glucose, urea, creatinine, triglycerides, and total cholesterol. It was found that Cr-Meth improved the body weight, weight gain, feed intake, and feed conversion ratio of broilers. Moreover, it reduced the mortality rate of birds. The chelated chromium can alleviate the oxidative status of birds by increasing the plasma glutathione peroxidase activity and reducing the serum malondialdehyde level. It was observed that the effects of 100 g/ton Cr-Meth chelate on performance indices, mortality rate, and oxidative stress parameters were better than that of 50 g/ton inclusion rate. Supplementation of Cr-Meth increased the total protein level, but reduced the glucose, total cholesterol, and triglyceride concentrations in the blood serum. In addition, it increased the carcass yield and reduced the abdominal fat percentage of the birds’ carcass. Therefore, chromium can be included in diets of broilers at a rate of 200 to 400 ppb, and the higher concentration was more effective than the lower one. So, it can be recommended to use Cr-Meth chelate in broiler diets at 100 g/ton to improve the productive performance and reduce the oxidative stress of birds.