Abstract
An Experiment was conducted to evaluate the effects of dietary excessive chromium picolinate on growth performance, nutrient utilizability and the content of serum cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, glucose, triglyceride and non-esterified fatty acid in broiler chicks. Experimental diets based on corn-soybean meal were supplemented at 0, 800, 1,600 and 2,400 ppb chromium in the form of chromium picolinate. Each treatment had six replicates of six female chicks each (average initial weight=45.6 g). Experimental period lasted for six weeks. Excessive supplementation of chromium as chromium picolinate had no effect on body weight gain, feed intake, feed conversion and nutrient utilizability of broiler chicks. Mortality was improved with a supplementation of chromium (p < 0.05). However, serum glucose decreased as chromium level increased (p < 0.05). Up to 2,400 ppb chromium as chromium picolinate, signs of toxicity were not noticed in this study.