Performance and Glucose Metabolism in Calves Fed a Chromium-Nicotinic Acid Complex or Chromium Chloride

¹ Department of Animal Science and Interdepartmental Nutrition Program, North Carolina State University, Raleigh 27695-7621

Twenty-four Holstein bull calves were fed a milk replacer diet to assess the effects of Cr on calf performance and metabolism of glucose. Treatments consisted of no supplemental Cr (control) or 0.4 mg/kg of dry matter of supplemental Cr from CrCl₃ or from a Cr-nicotinic acid complex. Supplementation with the Cr-nicotinic acid complex increased the average daily gain and feed efficiency from d 28 to 42, but not over the entire 63-d performance phase. Calves that were fed diets supplemented with CrCl₃ or the Cr-nicotinic acid complex had lower plasma glucose concentrations at 45 to 180 min after an i.v. infusion of insulin than did controls. Calves fed diets supplemented with the Cr-nicotinic acid complex also had lower plasma glucose concentrations from 90 to 180 min after insulin challenge than did calves that were fed diets supplemented with CrCl₃. After an i.v. infusion of glucose, calves that were fed diets supplemented with CrCl₃ had lower serum insulin concentrations at 10 to 25 min after challenge than did controls or calves that were fed diets supplemented with the Cr-nicotinic acid complex. However, the glucose clearance rate after glucose infusion was not affected by Cr supplementation. Chromium supplementation did not markedly affect the performance of calves, but the Cr-nicotinic acid complex and CrCl₃ did intensify the response to insulin administered i.v.

Key Words: chromium • calves • glucose tolerance • insulin resistance

Submitted on June 12, 1996
Accepted on November 26, 1996