Chromium Picolinate Reduces Laying Hen Serum and Egg Yolk Cholesterol

Abstract

One hundred 55-wk-old Single Comb White Leghorn hens were divided randomly into four experimental groups. Hens were caged individually. Each treatment group was fed one of four experimental diets for 35 consecutive d. The control diet was a standard layer ration. The other diets were supplemented with chromium picolinate at 200, 400, or 800 μg/kg. The objective of the experiment was to determine the effect of chromium picolinate on egg production, egg quality, and serum traits. Dietary supplementation with chromium picolinate had no effect on egg production and a negligible effect on egg weight. In contrast, chromium picolinate lowered (P<0.05) the concentration of egg yolk cholesterol in a dose-response manner. However, shell strength was reduced (P<0.05) by 30% at the highest dose. At 800 ppb chromium picolinate reduced (P<0.05) total serum cholesterol by 39%. Although LDL-cholesterol and apolipoprotein (Apo) B was reduced at this dose, HDL-cholesterol and Apo A-1 increased and serum triglyceride was reduced. These results demonstrate that supplementing a layer ration with chromium picolinate alters lipid profiles in serum and lowers cholesterol content of the yolk, but does not affect egg production.