The effect of chromium propionate on performance responses and meat quality in male broilers

A study was conducted evaluating the effect of feeding chromium propionate on performance parameters in male broilers reared to 60 days of age. Day old chicks (n = 720) were randomly assigned to one of 5 treatments (12 pens/treatment; 12 bird/pen): T1 0 ppb, T2 200 ppb, T3 – 200 ppb for 28 days/100 ppb through day 60, T4 – 100 ppb for 28 days/200 ppb through day 60, T5 – 100 ppb. Chromium significantly increased body weight (BW) on d 14 (P ≤ 0.001) and tended to increase BW on d 28 and d 60. Feed conversion ratio (FCR) was significantly improved in chromium treatments compared to control on d 14 (P = 0.05). At d 60, T2 and T3 showed an improvement on FCR of 7 points compared to control, whereas T4 showed a numerical improvement on FCR of 9 points. T4 showed a numerical improvement on breast meat yield (BMY) of 0.7%, while T2 and T3 showed a numerical improvement on BMY of 0.3 and 0.8%, respectively. This data indicates chromium supplementation from chromium propionate may positively impact a number of performance parameters.