• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.18 no.11
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• pp.1628-1633
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• 2005

Three hundred and twenty four one day old mixed sex broiler chicks were assigned at random into 9 treatment groups. The experimental design was a 3${\times}$3 factorial arrangement. During the starter period (week 1-3), chicks were fed ad libitum. A cornsoybean meal based diet contained 23% crude protein, 3,200 kcal/kg metabolizable energy (NRC, 1994), and supplemented with organic or inorganic forms of chromium. Two organic chromium products, chromium yeast (Cr-Yeast from Alltech Biotechnology Corporation Limited) and chromium picolinate (Cr-Pic) were supplemented at the rate of 200, 400 and 800 ppb. One inorganic product, chromium chloride, was supplemented at the rate of 200, 400 and 800 ppb. During the finishing period (week 4-7), the corn-soybean meal based diet contained 20% crude protein, 3,200 kcal/kg metabolizable energy (NRC, 1994), and the same levels of chromium as in the starter period were added. No significant difference was observed among treatment groups in average daily gain, feed intake, body weight gain, feed conversion ratio and mortality. The carcass percentage of broilers receiving 200 and 400 ppb organic chromium (Cr-Yeast or Cr-Pic) was significantly increased (p<0.01). In addition, the supplementation of organic chromium reduced (p<0.05) breast meat fat content but increased breast meat protein content. The addition of chromium in the diet had no effect on boneless breast, skinless boneless breast, boneless leg, skinless boneless leg but reduced percentage of sirloin muscle. Total cholesterol and triglycerides were reduced by organic Cr supplementation. Supplementation with 200 and 400 ppb of both Cr-Yeast and Cr-Pic showed the lowest total cholesterol. The effects of type of Cr on HDL and LDL were variable, however, LDL increased with increasing level of Cr supplementation. This trial indicates that organic chromium tended to improve growth performances and carcass composition, reduced total cholesterol and triglycerides. The optimum level of organic chromium supplementation was at 200 ppb.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.14 no.8
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• pp.1164-1169
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• 2001

A five-week trial was conducted to evaluate the effect of organic chromium from different sources on growth performance, immune response and serum parameters of weaned pigs. One hundred and eighty Tianjin white pigs weaned at $35{\pm}1$ days of age, were allotted to three treatments with six replicates and10 pigs per pen. Pigs were fed corn-soybean-whey-fishmeal basal diets with either no supplemental Cr, $200{\mu}g/kg$ Cr as chromium picolinate (CrPi), or $200{\mu}g/kg$ Cr as chromium yeast (Cr-yeast). To assess humoral immune response, all pigs were immunized with swine fever virus on day 21 and two pigs from each pen were immunized with pure albumin on day 14. Cell-mediated immunity was measured by determining the double skinfold thickness (DST) of two pigs from each pen before and 24h after stimulation with phytohemagglutinin (PHA) on day 28. The results indicated that: (1) diets with Cr-yeast increased average daily gain (ADG, p<0.05) and tended to increase average daily feed intake (ADFI, p<0.10). Diets with CrPi did not increase ADG and ADFI (p>0.05). (2) Dietary CrPi or Cr-yeast supplementation did not affect blood urea nitrogen, glucose, or cholesterol (p>0.05), but blood urea nitrogen in CrPi and Cr-yeast supplemented groups and blood glucose in the Cr-yeast supplemented group were significantly influenced by sampling days (p<0.05). (3) Serum proteins (TP, ALB, and GLB) were influenced by sampling days (p<0.05), but not by dietary Cr treatment (p>0.10). (4) There were no significant differences among treatments in the titers of albumin antibody and swine fever virus antibody (p>0.05) or DST before and after PHA stimulation (p>0.05), indicating that organic chromium has no significant effect on the immune function of weaning pigs. Therefore, these results agree with other research that the effects of supplemental Cr are variable in weanling pigs.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.235-240
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• 2005

Two hundred and eighty-eight 21-week-old Hyline Brown laying hens were randomly allotted to 9 treatments, 32 birds for each treatment. A 3${\times}$3 (chromium${\times}$L-carnitine) factorial experiment was designed to investigate the single and interactive effects of adding yeast chromium (0, 400 and 600 ${\mu}g/kg$) and L-carnitine (0, 50 and 100 mg/kg) to corn-soybean diets on lipid metabolism of laying hens for 7 weeks. The results showed that 600 ${\mu}g/kg$ chromium or 100 mg/kg L-carnitine had significant effects on most indices of lipid metabolism (p<0.05 or 0.01). There were significant interactions on the concentration of liver triglycerides, egg yolk cholesterol, abdominal fat percentage between chromium and L-carnitine (p=0.0003-0.0500). Adding 400 ${\mu}g/kg$ chromium and 100 mg/kg Lcarnitine simultaneously was the best for reducing egg yolk cholesterol and adding 400 ${\mu}g/kg$ chromium and 50 mg/kg L-carnitine at the same time was the best for reducing abdominal fat percentage. There was no side effect on production performance of laying hens while chromium or (and) L-carnitine reduced liver lipid, abdominal fat and egg yolk cholesterol.

• Environmental Mutagens and Carcinogens
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.156-163
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• 2001

Vanadium has been known as environmental polluants resulted from the burning of fossil fuels in nature. It led to toxic responses by prooxidant activity, inducing free radicals and the accumulation in the tissues. Recently, there has been growing interest in an essential nutritional requirement of vandium and especially the treatment of diabetes. But because of its strong toxicity, thease chemicals have narrow safety margin. In order to reduce metal toxicity, and increase absorption and biological activities, metal ions such as selenium and chromium were uptaken in yeast cells. In this study, Vanadium yeast was prepared by uptaking vanadate in yeast cells. Vanadate induced hematological and biochemical changes in the experimental rat blood were inhibited by the treatments of vanadium yeast. Lipid peroxidation and catalase activity were significantly increased in kidney and liver after a single intraperitoneal injection of vanadate to rats. However, these observations were apparently reduced in the vanadium yeast treated group. Vanadium amount in blood, kidney and liver after a single intraperitoneal injection of vanadium yeast was significantly reduced than that of vanadate treated group. In conclusion, vanadium yeast uptaken vanadate in yeast cells could reduce toxic effects of vanadate.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.22 no.8
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• pp.1124-1132
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• 2009

A trial was conducted to study the effect of supplemental chromium (Cr) levels from a Cr-yeast source on performance, digestibility and carcass characteristics of transport-stressed lambs. Forty-eight Naemi lambs (avg. BW 31.7 kg) were transported by truck for a distance of 1,450 km. On arrival day, the lambs were randomly allocated to four groups receiving diets supplemented with 0.0, 0.3, 0.6 or 0.9 ppm Cr. Each group consisted of four separately housed replicates of three lambs each. The lambs were fed their respective diets ad libitum for 84 d (21 d stress period, followed by 63 d growing period). Road transit of lambs resulted in a decreased (p<0.001) live body weight of 8.5%. Supplementation of Cr-yeast did not alter the performance of lambs during the stress period. Linear and quadratic increases (p<0.05) were observed in DMI and ADG, respectively, with increasing supplemental Cr levels in the diets during the growing period. Values were greater (p<0.05) by 14.7% and 20.8%, respectively, for lambs fed 0.3 ppm Cr compared to control, while those fed on the other two levels were intermediate. Over the 84-d feeding period, a trend was noted towards a slight increase in loin eye area and a decrease in body wall fat thickness for lambs fed Cr supplementation compared to the control group. This study suggests that the supplementation of Cr-yeast, especially at 0.3 ppm level, is beneficial for improving the performance of growing lambs whether the animals are stressed or not.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.16 no.12
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• pp.1809-1815
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• 2003

A $3{\times}4$ (chromium and L-carnitine) experiment was designed to investigate the single and interactive effects of adding yeast Cr and L-carnitine to corn-soybean meal diets on lipid metabolism of broiler chickens. Four hundred and eighty one-day-old avian chickens were randomly allocated to 12 treatments of 40 each for 7 weeks. Levels of adding Cr were 0, 400, $600{\mu}g/kg$ and those of Lcarnitine was 0, 30, 50, 100 mg/kg, respectively. The result showed that adding $600{\mu}g/kg$ Cr or 100 mg/kg L-carnitine alone had better regulative effects on fat and cholesterol metabolism than lower adding levels. Effects were more significant at the end of the experiment. There were significantly interactive effects between Cr and L-carnitine on triaclyglycerol, whole cholesterol, HDL, dissociating FFA, and blood glucose, cholesterol and triaclyglycerol of liver, and cholesterol of chest muscle at the end of experiment (p=0.0001-0.0315). But Cr or L-carnitine had no significant effect on growth performance of broiler chickens (p>0.05).

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.762-768
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• 2004

Chromium has been known to be involved in the glucose metabolism, and hence the utilization of cellular glucose is impaired in the chromium deficiency. Chromium has been recognized as an essential nutrient since the finding of low-molecular-weight Cr-binding substance (LMWCr) as a biological modifier of insulin action. Clinical chromium deficiency associated with glucose intolerance that respond to the administration of chromium. The major impediment to the use of orally administered chromium is poor absorption of trivalent chromium in its inorganic form. Trivalent chromium is more available in yeast md, more recently, as chromium picolinate for oral absorption. The widespread use of these supplements has resulted in controversy regarding chromium's role as a nutrient, its use for treatment of insulin resistance, and its potential toxicity. Most recent evidence strongly supports tile conclusion that there is little fear of toxic reactions from chromium consumption. This report reviews the evidence for the potential toxicity of chromium supplements in contrast with its usefulness as a nutrient or therapeutic agent in the treatment or prevention of insulin resistance.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.21 no.6
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• pp.853-860
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• 2008

This experiment was conducted to study the effects of chromium (Cr), dietary crude protein (CP) level and potential interactions between these two factors on growth rate and carcass response, insulin activity and lipid metabolism in lambs. Forty-eight, 9-week-old weaned lambs (Dorper$\times$Small-tail Han sheep, mean initial body weight = $22.96kg{\pm}2.60kg$) were used in a $2{\times}3$ factorial arrangement of supplemental Cr (0 ppb, Cr0; 400 ppb, Cr1; or 800 ppb, Cr2 from chromium yeast) and CP levels (157 g/d to 171 g/d for each animal, LP; or 189 g/d to 209 g/d for each animal, HP). Growth data and blood samples were collected at the beginning and end of the feed trial, after which the lambs were killed. Both Cr additive groups and the HP group increased final weight and average daily gain, especially the Cr1 and HP group (p<0.01). HP increased pelvic fat weight (p<0.05), fat thickness of the 10th rib (p<0.05), longissimus muscle area (p<0.01) and rate of deposition of intramuscular fat (p<0.01). Supplemental Cr decreased the rate of deposition of intramuscular fat (p<0.05). Fasting insulin level and the ratio of insulin to glucose were lower with Cr1 than other groups, but with no significant difference. Glucose concentration was not affected by any treatment. Nonesterified fatty acids increased in the Cr1 (p<0.05) and HP (p<0.05) conditions and there was a significant $Cr{\times}CP$ interaction (p<0.05). Cr1 decreased triglycerides (p<0.05) and total cholesterol (p = 0.151) and HP increased high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (p<0.05). Cr1 decreased lipoprotein lipase activity in subcutaneous adipose tissue (aLPL, p<0.05) and the ratio of aLPL to lipoprotein lipase activity in skeletal muscle (mLPL, p = 0.079). mLPL and hepatic lipase (hHL) were not affected by any treatment. In the present study, Cr had limited effects on growth rate and carcass response, whereas Cr and CP had some notable effects on plasma metabolites and enzyme activities. Cr has a potential effect on energy modulation between lipid and muscle tissue. In addition, few $Cr{\times}CP$ interactions were observed.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.22 no.12
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• pp.1767-1775
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• 2012

The Cr(VI) removal capability of Acinetobacter junii VITSUKMW2 isolated from the Sukinda chromite mine site was evaluated and enhanced using statistical design techniques. The removal capacity was evaluated at different pH values (5-11) and temperatures ($30-40^{\circ}C$) and with various carbon and nitrogen sources. Plackett-Burman design was used to select the operational parameters for bioremediation of Cr(VI). Three parameters (molasses, yeast extract, and Cr(VI) concentration) were chosen for further optimization using central composite design. The optimal combination of parameters was found to be 14.85 g/l molasses, 4.72 g/l yeast extract, and 54 mg/l initial Cr(VI), with 99.95% removal of Cr(VI) in 12 h. A. junii VITSUKMW2 was shown to have significant potential for removal of Cr(VI).

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.205-212
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• 2010

The effects of chromium (Cr), dietary crude protein (CP) level, and potential interactions of these two factors were investigated in term of energy metabolism in lambs. Forty-eight 9-week-old weaned lambs (Dorper${\times}$Small-tail Han sheep, male, mean initial body weight = 22.96 kg${\pm}$2.60 kg) were used in a 2${\times}$3 factorial arrangement of supplemental Cr (0 ${\mu}g$/kg, 400 $\mu{g}$/kg or 800 ${\mu}g$/kg from chromium yeast) and protein levels (low protein: 157 g/d to 171 g/d for each animal, or high protein: 189 g/d to 209 g/d for each animal). Blood samples were collected at the beginning and end of the feeding trial. The lambs were then sacrificed and tissue samples were frozen for further analysis. Chromium at 400 ${\mu}g$/kg decreased fasting insulin level and the ratio of plasma insulin to glucagon, but these differences were not statistically significant; in contrast, chromium at 800 ${\mu}g$/kg increased the ratio significantly (p<0.05). Protein at the high level increased plasma tumor necrosis factor $\alpha$ (TNF-$\alpha$) level (p = 0.060). Liver glycogen content was increased significantly by Cr (p<0.05), which also increased liver glucose-6-phosphatase (G-6-Pase) and adipose hormone-sensitive lipase (HSL) activity. At 400 ${\mu}g$/kg, Cr increased muscle hexokinase (HK) activity. High protein significantly increased G-6-Pase activities in both the liver (p<0.05) and the kidney (p<0.05), but significantly decreased fatty acid synthase (FAS) activity in subcutaneous adipose tissue (p<0.05). For HSL activity in adipose tissue, a Cr${\times}$CP interaction (p<0.05) was observed. Overall, Cr improved energy metabolism, primarily by promoting the glycolytic rate and lipolytic processes, and these regulations were implemented mainly through the modulation by Cr of the insulin signal transduction system. High protein improved gluconeogenesis in both liver and kidney. The interaction of Cr${\times}$CP indicated that 400 $\mu{g}$/kg Cr could reduce energy consumption in situations where energy was being conserved, but could improve energy utilization when metabolic rate was increased.