Science Letters

Effects of Chromium on meat and egg production in poultry-A review

Rafaqat Ali 1, Sadaqat Ali 1, Tamoor Azeem 1, Wajid Umar 2, Muhammad Irfan Khan 3, Asif Ali 3, Muhammad Ali Shah 1, Sajid Umar 1

1 Faculty of Veterinary and Animals Sciences, Pir Mehr Ali Shah-Arid Agriculture University Rawalpindi, Pakistan

2 Department of Soil Sciences, University of Agriculture Faisalabad, Pakistan

3 Faculty of Veterinary and Animals Sciences University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences Lahore, Pakistan

Abstract

In poultry, Chromium (Cr) is a vital micro-element and helps in the overall performance of the birds. The Cr plays an important role in egg formation and meat production. It helps in lipid, carbohydrate and protein metabolism. The Cr supplementation helps in better egg quality and albumin layers. The Cr also enhances the male reproductive system activity in terms of sperm motility and reduction of its deformities. The Cr plays key role in the fertility and hatchability of the eggs. The Cr has positive effect with ascorbic acid and carnitine and improved the consumption of different minerals but Cr has negative effect with the iron and copper. The Cr has the toxic effect on the fertility and hatchability, embryogenesis, irritation to the skin, toxic agent for the liver and also acts as a carcinogenic factor when added in the feed. So Cr in velogenic form III has the potential beneficial effects but in velogenic form VI has the harmful effects on the production performance and the life of the poultry.

Keywords: Chromium, poultry, egg production, growth rate.

Received Feb 02, 2014; Revised April 02, 2014; Accepted May 22, 2014

Corresponding author: Sajid Umar; Email: sajncvi@gmail.com