Effect of chromium picolinate on performance of broilers

The experiment was conducted to evaluate the effect of chromium picolinate on performance of broilers. Three hundred day-old vencobb broiler chicks were divided into six equal groups. The groups from A to F were received chromium picolinate at 0, 0.4, 0.8, 1.2, 1.6 and 2.4 g/T, respectively. The birds from group F recorded highest live weight. Effect of chromium picolinate on live weights of birds was statistically non-significant. Similarly, chromium picolinate supplementation had non-significant effect on gain in weight of birds. The total feed consumption per bird during five weeks period for groups A to F were 2675.55, 2600.77, 2645.71, 2591.69, 2653.21 and 2702.14 g, respectively, while FCR were 1.68, 1.65, 1.68, 1.65, 1.66 and 1.68, respectively. The differences among the average weekly feed consumption and average weekly feed conversion ratios were statistically non-significant. The group E recorded higher net profit per kg than other groups. Hence, it is concluded that supplementation of chromium picolinate in the diets of broilers is beneficial for recording comparable growth response by birds in terms of live weight, gain in weight, feed consumption and better FCR. In general chromium picolinate supplementation helped to record higher profit margins.