See discussions, stats, and author profiles for this publication at: https://www.researchgate.

net/publication/11052278

Optimal Dietary Concentration of Chromium for Alleviating the Effect of Heat

Stress on Growth, Carcass Qualities, and Some Serum Metabolites of Broiler
Chickens

Article  in  Biological Trace Element Research · October 2002

DOI: 10.1385/BTER:89:1:53 · Source: PubMed

CITATIONS READS

139 575

5 authors, including:

Kazim Sahin Nurhan Şahin

Firat University Firat University
349 PUBLICATIONS   10,412 CITATIONS    157 PUBLICATIONS   3,479 CITATIONS   

SEE PROFILE SEE PROFILE

Muhittin Onderci Mehmet Ferit Gursu

Adiyaman University Firat University
50 PUBLICATIONS   2,679 CITATIONS    67 PUBLICATIONS   2,317 CITATIONS   

SEE PROFILE SEE PROFILE

Some of the authors of this publication are also working on these related projects:

diabetes View project

Investigation of myokine response to moderate exercise in metabolic syndrome induced rats. View project

All content following this page was uploaded by Mehmet Ferit Gursu on 19 October 2016.

The user has requested enhancement of the downloaded file.

© Copyright 2002 by Humana Press Inc.
All rights of any nature, whatsoever, reserved.
0163-4984/02/8901–0053 $20.00

Optimal Dietary Concentration of

Chromium for Alleviating the Effect
of Heat Stress on Growth, Carcass
Qualities, and Some Serum
Metabolites of Broiler Chickens
KAZIM SAHIN,*,1 NURHAN SAHIN,2 MUHITTIN ONDERCI,2
FERIT GURSU,3 AND GURKAN CIKIM3
1
Department of Animal Nutrition, Veterinary Faculty,
University of Firat, Elazig, Turkey; 2Veterinary Control and
Research Institute, Ministry of Agriculture, Elazig, Turkey;
and 3Department of Biochemistry, School of Medicine,
University of Firat, Elazig, Turkey
Received November 21, 2001; Accepted January 25, 2002

ABSTRACT
This study was conducted to determine the effects of chromium
(chromium picolinate, CrPic) supplementation at various levels (0, 200, 400,
800, or 1200 µ/kg of diet) on performance, carcass characteristics, and some
serum metabolites of broiler chickens (Ross) reared under heat stress
(32.8°C). One hundred fifty old male broilers were randomly assigned to 5
treatment groups, 3 replicates of 10 birds each. The birds were fed either a
control diet or the control diet supplemented with either 200, 400, 800, or
1200 µg Cr/kg of diet. Increased supplemental chromium resulted in an
increase in body weight (p = 0.01, linear), feed intake (p ≤ 0.05, linear), and
carcass characteristics (p ≤ 0.05, linear) and improved feed efficiency
(p = 0.01, linear). Increased supplemental chromium decreased serum corti-
costerone concentration (p = 0.01, linear), whereas it increased serum insulin
and T3 and T4 concentrations (p = 0.01). Serum glucose and cholesterol con-
centrations decreased (p = 0.01), whereas protein concentrations increased
linearly (p = 0.001) with higher dietary chromium supplementation. Results
of the present study conclude that a supplementation of diet with chromium
at 1200 ppb can alleviate the detrimental effects of heat stress in broiler.
Index Entries: Chromium; heat stress, performance; thyroid; corti-
costerone; broilers.

*Author to whom all correspondence and reprint requested should be addressed.

Biological Trace Element Research 53 Vol. 89, 2002

54 Sahin et al.

INTRODUCTION
High ambient temperature reduces feed intake, live weight gain, and
feed efficiency (1,2), thus negatively influencing the performance of broil-
ers. Hurwitz et al. (3) reported that the decrease in growth rate was partly,
the result of the decrease in feed intake. High ambient temperature also
reduces the thyroid activity in poultry (4,5). Plasma T3 and T4 concentra-
tions, important growth promoters in animals, are associated with ambi-
ent temperature (6). The circulating concentrations of T3 and T4 are
reduced (7–9), whereas plasma corticosterone concentration increased at
high ambient temperature (10). In addition, Donkoh (1) reported reduced
plasma protein and markedly increased blood glucose concentrations dur-
ing heat stress. Such ambient temperatures also result in decreases in
serum vitamin and mineral concentrations in poultry as well as humans
(2,11–13). Heat stress has also been shown to increase mineral excretion
(2,14,15).
Several methods are available to alleviate the effect of high environ-
mental temperature on the performance of poultry. Because it is expensive
to cool animal buildings, such methods are focused mostly on dietary
manipulations. In this respect, chromium is used in the poultry diet
because of the reported benefits of chromium supplementation to laying
hens under cold or heat stress (12,16,17), also because of the fact that
chromium is reduced during heat strees. Chromium is accepted as nutri-
tionally essential for animals and humans, yet the mechanism of its bio-
logical action and optimal amount of Cr needed for health is to be
determined (12). The primary role of Cr in metabolism is to potentiate the
action of insulin through its presence in an organometallic molecule called
glucose tolerance factor (GTF) (12,13,18). It has been reported that insulin
metabolism influences lipid peroxidation (19). Chromium (insulin cofac-
tor) is, therefore, postulated to function as an antioxidant (20). Moreover,
chromium is thought to be essential for activating certain enzymes and for
stabilization of proteins and nucleic acids (13,21,22). Chromium deficiency
can disrupt carbohydrate and protein metabolism, reduce insulin sensitiv-
ity in peripheral tissues, and impair the growth rate (23,24). Some miner-
als such as chromium can be supplemented in the diet to reduce the
negative effects of environmental stress (16,17,25–27). In a previous study,
we observed that supplemental chromium significantly alleviated the cold
stress-related decrease in performance of laying hens reared under cold
stress conditions (16,17). Evaluation of the effects of supplemental
chromium on performance have a substantial merit in understanding
metabolic changes (T3, T4, insulin, corticosterone, glucose, cholesterol,
total protein) in heat-stressed broiler chicks. Therefore, the objective of this
study was to evaluate the effects of the optimal amount of chromium (pos-
tulated to function as antioxidant) supplementation on performance and
serum concentrations of T3, T4, insulin, corticosterone, and some metabo-
lites in broilers reared under heat stress (32.8°C).

Biological Trace Element Research Vol. 89, 2002

Effect of Cr (III) on Heat-Stress Broilers 55

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Animals, Diets, and Experimental Design

One hundred fifty 1-d-old male chicks (Ross) provided from Koy-Tür
Company (Elazig, Turkey) were used in the study. The birds were ran-
domly assigned, according to their initial body weights, to 5 treatment
groups, 3 replicates of 10 birds each. All pens were bedded with a wood-
shavings litter and equipped with feeders and waterers in environmental
chambers with 24.4 cm2 per bird. The birds were fed either a basal diet or
the basal diet supplemented with either 200, 400, 800, or 1200 µg of Cr/kg
of diet. Chromium picolinate (CrPic) was used as the Cr source. The ingre-
dients and chemical composition of the starter and grower diets are shown
in Table 1. The basal diets were formulated using the National Research
Council (NRC) (28) guideline and contained 23–20% (starter–grower) pro-
tein, 13.37 MJ/kg (3200 kcal/kg) metabolizable energy (ME), and 1128
(starter) and 1232 (grower) µg of Cr/kg of diet. The diets and fresh water
were offered ad libitum. The birds were fed a starter diet until 21 d of age,
followed by a finishing diet from d 21 to d 42. The experiment was in accor-
dance with animal welfare and was conducted under protocols approved
by the Veterinary Control and Research Institute of Elazig, Turkey.

Data Collection and Calculations

During the experiment, the hen house’s temperature and humidity
were measured four times a day (0600, 1200, 1800, and 2400). The average
ambient relative humidity inside the hen house was 43.2 ± 5.1%. The mean
value of the daily temperature in the hen house was 32.8 ± 4.2°C. The
experiment was conducted between July 25 and September 4. Feed intake
and body weight were determined at weekly intervals. At the end of d 42,
animals were weighed and the average weight gain was calculated for
each group. For carcass evaluations, 10 birds randomly picked from each
treatment were slaughtered. The carcasses were weighed and manually
eviscerated, chilled and weighed again, and abdominal fat seperated by
hand and weighed. The weight (± 0.001) of the liver, heart, spleen, emptied
gizzard, and abdominal fat were calculated as percentages of body weight.

Laboratory Analyses
At the end of d 40, blood samples were collected by vena brachialis
puncture under the wing from 10 birds randomly chosen from each treat-
ment, and plasma was prepared and stored at –20°C for determination of
serum insulin and corticosterone as well as other metabolite concentra-
tions. Serum samples were thawed at room temperature for laboratory
analyses. Serum insulin concentrations were determined via a radioim-
munoassay method using procedures described by McMurtry et al. (29).
All samples for each hormone assay were performed in a single run to

Biological Trace Element Research Vol. 89, 2002

56 Sahin et al.

Table 1
Ingredients and Chemical Analyses of the Starter and Grower
Diets Fed to Broilers Reared Under Heat Stress (32.8°C)

* Ingredients in 2 kg of premix (Rovimix 124/V): vitamin A, 15,000,000

IU; cholecalciferol, 3000 IU, vitamin E, 15,000 IU; menadione, 2500 mg; vita-
min B1, 1000 mg; vitamin B2, 10,000 mg; niacin, 70,000 mg; d-pantothenic acid,
20,000 mg; vitamin B12, 4000 mg; folic acid, 2000 mg; biotin, 100 mg.
** Premix (Remineral CH) supplied for 2 kg: Mn, 80,000 mg; Fe, 25,000
mg; Zn, 50,000 mg; Cu, 7000 mg; iodine, 300 mg; Se, 150 mg; choline cloride,
350,000 mg.

avoid interassay variations. The maximum binding for [125I] insulin was
24.2%. The sensitivity was 4.5 µIU/mL at 80% binding. T3, T4, and corti-
costerone concentrations were determined using commercially available
radioimmunoassay kits (Byk-Sangtec Diagnostica, Dietzenbach-Germany;
Immulite 2000, DPC, LA). Intra-assay and interassay coefficients of varia-

Biological Trace Element Research Vol. 89, 2002

Effect of Cr (III) on Heat-Stress Broilers 57

Table 2
Effects of Supplemental Chromium on Body Weight, Feed Intake, and Feed
Efficiency in Broiler Chickens Reared Under Heat Stress (32.8°C) (n=30)

tion were 6.43% and 8.53% for T3, 12.63% and 9.43% for T4, and 8.34%, and
7.16% for corticosterone, respectively. Serum glucose, total protein, and
cholesterol concentrations were measured using biochemical analyzer
(Technicon RA-XT, New York, USA). For Cr content analysis, basal diet
samples in triplicate were wet-digested digested as described by Chang et
al. (30) and were read using an atomic absorption spectrometer with a
graphite furnace (Shimadzu AA-660-GFA-4B-P/N 204-03154-02). Chemi-
cal analysis of the diet was run using international procedures of the
AOAC (31).

Statistical Analyses
The data were analyzed using the GLM procedure of SAS (32). Linear,
quadratic, and cubic polynomial contrasts (regression) were used to eval-
uate treatment effects.

RESULTS
The effects of supplemental dietary chromium on the performance of
broilers are shown in Table 2. Increasing supplemental chromium resulted
in an increase in body weight (p = 0.01, linear), feed intake (p ≤ 0.05, linear),
and improved feed efficiency (p = 0.01, linear). Supplemental chromium
also influenced carcass qualities (Table 3). Increased supplemental
chromium linearly increased hot and chilled carcass weight and yield
(p = 0.01) and liver, heart, spleen, and gizzard weights (p = 0.01). However,
abdominal fat decreased linearly (p = 0.05) as dietary chromium increased.
Serum insulin and T3 and T4 concentrations increased (p = 0.01), whereas

Biological Trace Element Research Vol. 89, 2002

58 Sahin et al.

Table 3
Effects of Supplemental Chromium on Carcass Composition
of Broiler Chickens Reared Under Heat Stress (32.8°C) (n=10)

* Percentage of live weight.

corticosterone concentration decreased linearly (p = 0.01) as dietary

chromium supplementation increased. Serum glucose and cholesterol con-
centrations decreased (p = 0.01), whereas protein concentrations increased
linearly (p = 0.001) with higher dietary chromium supplementation.

DISCUSSION
In the present study, chromium supplementation improved the per-
formance, namely live weight gain, feed intake and feed efficiency as well
as carcass quality, in broiler chickens reared under heat stress (32.8°C)
(Tables 2 and 3). It is well known that the growth rate and feed efficiency
decrease when ambient temperature goes above the thermoneutral zone
(11). In addition, stress increases chromium mobilization from tissues and
its excretion (12,33) and thus may exacerbate a marginal chromium defi-
ciency or an increased chromium requirement. Similar to results of the
present study, Lien et al. (27) reported that 1600 µ/kg or 3200 µ/kg
chromium picolinate supplementation in a broiler diet increased feed
intake and improved live weight gain. Sands and Smith (34) also reported
that dietary chromium picolinate supplementation increased the growth
rate without affecting feed intake in broilers. In addition, Steele and Rose-
brough (35) reported that adding 20 ppm chromium chloride increased the
weight gains of turkey poults. Moreover, Sahin et al. (17) reported that
adding 400 ppb chromium to the diet of laying hens reared under a low

Biological Trace Element Research Vol. 89, 2002

Effect of Cr (III) on Heat-Stress Broilers 59

ambient temperature increased egg production and improved feed effi-

ciency. Sahin et al. (16) also reported that the decrease in live weight, feed
intake, egg production, and feed efficiency in laying hens reared under
cold stress was alleviated by dietary chromium and zinc supplementation.
It has been shown that chromium supplementation causes significant
changes in the chemical composition of animal carcasses (36). In accor-
dance with our results, Mooney and Cromwell (37) reported that dietary
chromium picolinate increased the total gain of muscle and decreased the
total gain of fat. Similarly, a linear increases in lean body mass with linear
decreases in body fat in swine has been reported (38). It is well known that
chromium is involved in protein metabolism (12). Chromium is thought to
have a role in nucleic acid metabolism as an increase in stimulation of
amino acid incorporation into liver protein in vitro was observed (39).
Okada et al. (40) showed an interaction of chromium with DNA templates
that resulted in a significant stimulation of RNA synthesis in vitro. The
oligopeptide low-molecular-weight chromium-binding protein (chromod-
ulin) tightly binds four chromic ions before the oligopeptide obtains a con-
formation required for binding to the tyrosine kinase active site of the
insulin receptor (41,42). The oligopeptide chromodulin binds chromic ions
in response to an insulin-mediated chromic ion flux, and the metal-satu-
rated oligopeptide can bind to an insulin-stimulated insulin receptor, acti-
vating the receptor’s tyrosine kinase activity. Thus, chromodulin appears
to play a role in an autoamplification mechanism in insulin signaling
(41,42). In addition, the release of chromium from chromium picolinate for
use in cells requires a reduction of the chromic center, a process that can
lead potentially to the production of harmful hydroxyl radicals (41,42).
In the present study, the higher serum concentrations of T3 and T4
were observed with higher dietary chromium supplementations. These
results could have been the result of the positive effects of chromium, alle-
viating the negative effects of heat stress. The inverse relationship between
plasma concentration of T3 and T4 environmental temperature has also
been well known (9,43–45). Yahav (46) reported a positive linear correla-
tion between plasma T3 concentration and feed intake and weight gain in
turkeys at a constant ambient temperature. Greater T3 and T4 concentra-
tions of the present study with higher dietary chromium should support a
greater performance of broilers, as T3 and T4 are considered as important
growth promoters in animals (6). Accordingly, Sahin et al. (18) reported
similar results for Japanese quails. Huston and Carmon (47) reported that
the thyroid size and thyroid secretion rate decreased at high temperatures
and increased at low temperatures. Joiner and Huston (48) also reported
smaller thyroid sizes at high environmental temperatures and suggested
that thyroid activity and, subsequently, metabolic rate might be reduced at
high temperatures.
In the present study, insulin plasma concentration increased,
whereas corticosterone concentration decreased with increasing supple-
mental dietary chromium (Table 4). This is a typical metabolic relation-

Biological Trace Element Research Vol. 89, 2002

60 Sahin et al.

Table 4
Effects of Supplemental Chromium on Blood Serum Metabolites of Broiler
Chickens Reared Under Heat Stress (32.8°C) (n=10)

ship between insulin (anabolic) and corticosterone (catabolic), having

opposite effects of each other in metabolism. The inclusion of chromium
into the diet did not change this relationship. Increasing dietary
chromium linearly increased the insulin plasma concentration, indicat-
ing chromium’s physiological role to empower the insulin acting as an
insulin cofactor. Similar to results of the present study, Sahin et al. (17)
found that chromium supplementation increased plasma insulin concen-
tration while markedly decreasing corticosterone concentrations in lay-
ing hens under a low ambient temperature. Rosebrough and Steele (49)
have also stated chromium as a cofactor for insulin activity and neces-
sary for normal glucose utilization and animal growth. The relationship
between chromium and insulin in the present study is in agreement with
those reported by other researchers (12,49–51). However, Sahin et al. (52)
reported that dietary chromium did not affect insulin plasma concentra-
tion in pregnant does and newborn and weaned growing rabbits under
the thermoneutral zone. Similar to results of the present study, Chang
and Mowat (53) and Moonsie-Sheageer and Mowat (54) also reported
significant decreases in blood serum cortisol in stressed calves fed a diet
supplemented with chromium.
In the present study, serum glucose and cholesterol concentrations
decreased, whereas protein concentrations increased when dietary
chromium was increased. Elevated concentrations of corticosterone is par-
allel to increases in serum glucose and cholesterol concentrations (22).
Decreases of glucose and cholesterol concentrations in the current study
may be attributed to decreased glucocorticoid secretion, which increases
glucogenesis. Similar to the results of the present study, Sahin et al. (18)
found that chromium supplementation markedly decreased blood glucose
and cholesterol concentrations in Japanese quails. Chromium is essential
for normal glucose metabolism and it is a component of glucose tolerance
factor, which works with insulin to move glucose into cells for energy gen-

Biological Trace Element Research Vol. 89, 2002

Effect of Cr (III) on Heat-Stress Broilers 61

eration. Insulin regulates the metabolism of carbohydrate, fat, and protein,

stimulating amino acid uptake and protein synthesis as well as glucose
utilization (55). Rosebrough and Steele (49) reported that turkeys fed a diet
supplemental with chromium had greater liver glycogen levels as a result
of increasing activity of the enzyme glycogen synthetase and chromium
increased glucose transport by increasing insulin activity. In the present
study, increased insulin concentration should have increased glucose uti-
lization, thus resulting in an improvement of live weight gain, feed effi-
ciency, and carcass qualities. Similarly, Cupo and Donaldson (56) reported
that chromium supplementation (20 ppm of CrC3·6H2O) increased the rate
of glucose utilization by 16%.
In conclusion, supplemental dietary chromium, particularly at 1200
ppb, may offer a potential protective management practice in preventing
deterimental effects of heat stress on performance of broiler chickens.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
The authors thank, the Veterinary Control and Research Institute of
Ministry of Agriculture, Elazig for providing the research facility and Köy-
Tür Company, Elazig for providing the animals.

REFERENCES
1. A. Donkoh, Ambient temperature: a factor affecting performance and physiological
response of broiler chickens, Int. J. Biometeorol. 33, 259–265 (1989).
2. H. S. Siegel, Stress, strains and resistance, Br. Poult. Sci. 36, 3–20 (1995)
3. S. Hurwitz, M. Weiselberg, U. Eisner, I. Bartov, G. Riesenfeld, M. Sharvit, et al., The
energy requirements and performance of growing chickens and turkeys, as affected by
environmental temperature, Poult. Sci. 59, 2290–2299 (1980).
4. S. E. Evans and D. L. Ingram, The effect of ambient temperature upon the secretion of
thyroxine in the young pig, J. Physiol. 264, 511–519 (1977).
5. S. J. Bowen and S. J. Washburn, Thyroid and adrenal response to heat stress in chickens
and quail differing in heat tolerance, Poult. Sci. 64, 149–154 (1985).
6. F. M. A. McNabb and D. B. King, Thyroid hormones effect on growth development and
metabolism, in The Endocrinology of Growth Development and Metabolism in Vertebrates,
T. Schreibman et al., eds., Academic Press, NY, Zoological Science Vol. 10, pp. 873–885
(1993).
7. R. W. Heninger, W. S. Newcorner, and R. H. Thayer, The effect of elevated ambient tem-
peratures and the thyroxine secretion rate of chickens, Poult. Sci. 39, 1332–1337 (1960).
8. S. J. Bowen, S. J. Washburn, and T. M. Huston, Involvement of the thyroid gland in the
response of the young chicken to heat stress, Poult. Sci. 63, 66–69 (1984).
9. P. E. Hilmann, N. R. Scott, and A. Van Tienhoven, Physiological responses and adapta-
tions to hot and cold environments, in Stress Physiology in Livestock, M.K. Yousef, ed.,
CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL, pp. 1–71 (1985).
10. F. W. Edens, and H. S. Siegel, Adrenal responses in high and low ACTH response lines
of chickens during acute heat stress, Gen. Comp. Endocrinol. 25, 64–73 (1975).
11. M. E. Ensminger, J. E. Oldfield, and W. Heinemann, Feeds and Nutrition, Ensminger, pp.
108–110 (1990).

Biological Trace Element Research Vol. 89, 2002

62 Sahin et al.

12. R. A. Anderson, Chromium. Trace Elements in Human and Animal Nutrition, Academic,
New York, pp. 225–244 (1987).
13. R. A. Anderson, Stress effects on chromium nutrition of humans and farm animals, in
Biotechnology in Feed Industry, T. P. Lyons, and K.A. Jacques, eds., Nottingham. Univer-
sity Press, Nothingam, pp. 267–274 (1994).
14. M. O. Smith and R. G. Teeter, Potassium balance of the 5 to 8-week old broiler exposed
to constant heat or cycling high temperature stress and the effects of supplemental
potassium chloride on body weight gain and feed efficiency, Poult. Sci. 66, 487–492
(1987).
15. O. El Husseiny and C. R. Creger, Effect of ambient temperature on mineral retention
and balance of the broiler chicks, Poult. Sci. 60 (Suppl. 1), 1651 (1981) (abstract).
16. N. Sahin, M. Onderci, and K. Sahin, Effects of dietary chromium and zinc on egg pro-
duction, egg quality and some blood metaboites of laying hens reared under low ambi-
ent temperature, Biol. Trace Element Res., in press.
17. K. Sahin, O. Kucuk, and N. Sahin, Effects of dietary chromium picolinate supplemen-
tation on performance, insulin and corticostrerone in laying hens under low ambient
temperature, J. Anim. Physiol. Anim. Nutr. 85, 142–147 (2001).
18. K. Sahin, O. Kucuk, N. Sahin, and O. Ozbey, Effects of dietary chromium picolinate sup-
plementation on egg production, egg quality, and serum concentrations of insulin, cor-
ticostrerone and some metabolites of Japanese quails, Nutr. Res. 21, 1315–1321 (2001).
19. D. D. Gallaher, A. S. Csallany, D. W. Shoeman, and J. M. Olson, Diabetes increases
excretion of urinary malondehyde cojugates in rats, Lipids 28, 663–666 (1993).
20. H. G. Preuss, P. L. Grojec, S. Lieberman, and R. A. Anderson, Effects of different
chromium compounds on blood pressure and lipid peroxidation in spontaneously
hypertensive rats, Clin. Nephrol. 47(5), 325–330 (1997).
21. S. Okado, H. Tsukada, and H. Ohba, Enhancement of nucleolar RNA synthesis by
chromium(III) in regenerating rat liver, J. Inorg. Biochem. 21, 113–116 (1984).
22. M. C. Linder, Nutrition and metabolism of the trace elements, in Nutritional Biochem-
istry and Metabolism with Clinical Applications, M. C. Linder, ed., Elsevier, New York, pp.
215–276 (1991).
23. R. J. Doisy, Effect of nutrient deficiencies in animals; chromium, in CRC Handbook Series
in Nutrition and Food. Section E: Nutritional Disorders Vol: 2 Effect of Nutrient Deficiencies
in Animals, M. Rechcigi, Jr., ed., CRC West Palm Beach, FL, pp. 341–342, (1978).
24. J. D. Pagan S. G. Jackson, and S. E. Duren, The effect of chromium supplementation on
metabolic response to exercise in thoroughbred horses, in Biotechnology in the Feed
Industry: Proceedings of Alltech’s Eleventh Annual Symposium. Lyons, T. P. Jacques and K.
A. Jacques, eds., Nottingham University Press, Nottingham, pp. 249–256 (1995).
25. D. N. Mowat, Organic chromium. A new nutrient for stressed animals. In Biotechnology
in the Feed Industry: Proceedings of Alltech’s Tenth Annual Symposium. Lyons, T. P. Jacques
and K. A. Jacques, eds., Nottingham University Press, Nottingham, pp. 275–282 (1994).
26. NRC, The Role of Chromium in Animal Nutrition, National Academy Press, Washington,
DC (1997).
27. T. F. Lien, Y. M. Horng, and K. H. Yang. Performance, serum characteristics, carcass
traits and lipid metabolism of broilers as affected by supplement of chromium picoli-
nate, Br. Poult. Sci. 40(3), 357–361 (1999).
28. NRC, Nutrient Requirements of Poultry, 9th rev. ed., National Academy Press, Washing-
ton, DC (1994).
29. J. P. McMurtry, R. V. Rosebrough, and N. C. Steele, An homologous radioimmunoassay
for chicken insulin, Poult. Sci. 62, 697–701 (1983).
30. X. Chang, D. N. Mowat, and G. A. Spiers. Carcass characteristics and tissue-mineral
contents of steers fed supplemental chromium, Can. J. Anim. Sci. 72, 663–668 (1992).

Biological Trace Element Research Vol. 89, 2002

Effect of Cr (III) on Heat-Stress Broilers 63

31. AOAC, Official Methods of Analysis Association of Agricultural Chemists, Washington DC

(1990).
32. SAS Institute, SAS® User’s Guide: Statistics, SAS Institute Inc., Cary, NC (1996).
33. J. S., Borel, T. C., Majerus, M., Polansky, P. B., Moser, and R.A, Anderson. Chromium
intake and urinary chromium excretion of trauma patients, Biol. Trace Element Res. 6,
317–321 (1984).
34. J. S. Sands and M. O. Smith, Broilers in heat stress conditions: effects of dietary man-
ganese proteinate or chromium picolinate supplementation, J. Appl. Poult. Res. 8,
280–287 (1999).
35. N. C. Steele and R. W. Rosebrough, Effect of trivalent chromium on hepatic lipogenesis
by the turkey poult, Poult. Sci. 60, 617–622 (1981).
36. C. H. Lukaski, Chromium as a supplement, Annu. Rev. Nutr. 19, 279–302 (1999).
37. K. W. Mooney and G. L. Cromwell, Efficacy of Chromium picolinate and chromium
chloride as potential carcass modifiers in swine, J. Anim. Sci. 73, 3351–3357 (1997).
38. M. D. Lindeman, Organic chromium: The missing link in farm animal nutrition, in
Biotechnology in the Feed Industry: Proceedings of Alltech’s Twelfth Annual Symposium.
Lyons, T. P. Jacgues and K. A. Jacques, eds., Nottingham University Press, Nottingham,
pp. 299–314 (1996).
39. U. Weser and U. J. Koolman. Untersuchungen zur proteinbiosynthese in Rattenieber-
zellerkernen, Hoppe Seyler’s Z. Physiol. Chem. 350, 1273–1278 (1969).
40. S. Okado, M. Suzuki, and H. Ohba, Enhancement of ribonucleic acid synthesis by chromium
(III) in mouse liver, J. Inorg. Biochem. 19, 95–103 (1983).
41. J. B. Vincent, The biochemistry of chromium, J. Nutr. 130, 715–718 (2000).
42. J. B. Vincent, The bioinorganic chemistry of chromium (III), Polyhedron, 20(1–2), 1–26
(2001).
43. J. D. May, J. W. Deaton, F. N. Reece, and S. L. Branton. Effect of acclimation and heat
stress on thyroid hormone concentration, Poult. Sci. 65, 1211–1213 (1986).
44. A. Iqbal, E. Decuypere, El. A. Abd Azim, and El. A. E. R. Kühn, Pre- and post-hatch
high temperature exposure affects the thyroid hormones and corticostrenone responses
to acute heat stress in growing chicken (Gallus domestica), J. Thermal Biol. 15, 149–153
(1990).
45. S. Yahav, A. Straschnow, I. Plavnik, and S. Hurwitz, Blood system response of chickens
to changes in environmental temperature, Poult. Sci. 76, 627–633 (1997).
46. S. Yahav, The effect of constant and diurnal cyclic temperatures on performance and
blood system of young turkeys, J. Thermal Biol. 24, 71–78 (1999).
47. T. M. Huston and J. L. Carmon, The influence of high environmental temperature on
thyroid size of domestic fowl, Poult. Sci. 41, 175–183 (1962).
48. W. P. Jonier and T. M. Huston, The influence of high environmental temperature on
immature domestic fowl, Poult. Sci. 36, 973–978 (1957).
49. R. W. Rosebrough and N. C. Steele, Effect of supplemental dietary chromium or nicotic
acid on carbonhydrate metabolism during basal, starvation and refeeding periods in
poults, Poult. Sci. 60, 407–411 (1981).
50. T. G. Page, L. L. Southern, T. L. Ward, and D. L. Thompson, Jr., Effect of chromium
picolinate on growth and serum and carcass traits of growing-finishing pigs, J. Anim.
Sci. 71, 656–670 (1993).
51. J. L. Burton, B. A. Mallard, and D. N. Mowat. Effects of supplemental chromium on
immune responses of periparturient and early lactation dairy cows, J. Anim. Sci. 71,
1532–1536 (1993).
·
52. K. Sahin, K. N. Şahin, and N. Erkal, Tavşanlarda Basal Rasyona Krom Ilavesinin Glikoz,
·
Insulin, Kortizol ve Alkali Fosfataz Düzeyleri ile Besi Performansi Üzerine Etkisi, Turk.
J. Vet. Anim. Sci. 21, 147–153 (1997).

Biological Trace Element Research Vol. 89, 2002

 64 Sahin et al.

53. X. Chang and D. N. Mowat. Supplemental chromium for stressed and growing feeder
calves, J. Anim. Sci. 70, 559–567 (1992).
54. S. Moonsie-Shager and D. N. Mowat. Effect of level of supplemental chromium on per-
formance, serum constituents, and immune status of stressed feeder calves, J. Anim. Sci.
71, 232–240 (1993).
55. M. Colgan, Chromium boosts insulin efficiency, in Optimum Sports Nutrition, Advanced
Research, New York, pp. 313–320 (1993).
56. M. A. Cupo and W. E. Donaldson, Chromium and vanadium effects on glucose metab-
olism and lipid synthesis in the chick, Poult. Sci. 66, 120–126 (1987).

Biological Trace Element Research Vol. 89, 2002

View publication stats