Register      Login
Animal Production Science Animal Production Science Society
Food, fibre and pharmaceuticals from animals
RESEARCH ARTICLE

Dietary supplemental chromium and niacin influence the growth performance and fat deposition in lambs

K. Hashemian A , M. A. Norouzian A C and A. Mohammadi-Sangcheshmeh A B
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations

A Department of Animal and Poultry Sciences, College of Abouraihan, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran.

B Department of Transgenic Animal Science, Stem Cell Technology Research Center, Tehran, Iran.

C Corresponding author. Email: manorouzian@ut.ac.ir

Animal Production Science 60(5) 618-624 https://doi.org/10.1071/AN18717
Submitted: 11 December 2018  Accepted: 15 April 2019   Published: 7 February 2020

Abstract

Context: Nowadays fat is an unpopular constituent of meat for consumers and therefore, a decrease in fat-tail size is often desirable for producers. Feed additives like chromium (Cr) and niacin (B3) have been reported to improve meat quality in beef and dairy cattle. However, their effect on meat quality and performance of fat-tail breeds of finishing lambs is unknown.

Aim: The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of supplemental chromium (Cr) and niacin (B3) on performance and fat deposition of carcass of finishing lambs.

Methods: Twenty male Zandi lambs (23.7 ± 0.73 kg) were allocated into one of four treatments: (1) control; (2) 300 µg/ kg DM Cr as chromium methionine; (3) 200 mg/kg DM B3 as rumen-protected niacin; and (4) 300 µg/ kg DM Cr as chromium methionine + 200 mg/kg DM B3 as rumen-protected niacin.

Key results: Chromium and B3 supplementation decreased blood glucose, insulin, triglycerides and low-density lipoprotein levels (P < 0.05). Lambs fed diet supplemented with B3 consumed more feed with a higher growth (P < 0.05) compared with other groups. There were no significant differences in feed efficiency, hot carcass weight, and dressing percentage among experimental groups. However, there was a decrease in the subcutaneous, abdominal, tail and total carcass fat in Cr supplemented lambs (P < 0.01) compared with other experimental groups. The expression level of acetyl CoA carboxylase 1 (ACC1) and diglyceride acyltransferase 2 (DGAT2) genes was lower in Cr groups of lambs compared with other groups (P < 0.05).

Conclusions: These results indicated that organic Cr supplementation improved meat quality by reducing fat accumulation, whereas B3 supplementation resulted in higher growth rate and feed intake.

Implications: Results showed that chromium supplementation reduces expression level of acetyl CoA carboxylase 1 and diglyceride acyltransferase 2 genes resulting in lower level of subcutaneous, abdominal, tail and total carcass fat of finishing lambs.

Additional keywords: carcass, chromium, fat, glucose, niacin.


References

Anderson RA, Cheng N, Bryden NA, Polansky MM, Cheng N, Chi J, Feng J (1997) Elevated intakes of supplemental chromium improve glucose and insulin variables in individuals with type 2 diabetes. Diabetes 46, 1786–1791.
Elevated intakes of supplemental chromium improve glucose and insulin variables in individuals with type 2 diabetes.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 9356027PubMed |

AOAC (2000) ‘Official methods of analysis.’ 17th edn. (Association of Official Analytical Chemists: Arlington, VA, USA)

Arvizu R, Domínguez I, Rubio M, Bórquez J, Pinos-Rodríguez J, González M, Jaramillo G (2011) Effects of genotype, level of supplementation, and organic chromium on growth performance, carcass, and meat traits grazing lambs. Meat Science 88, 404–408.
Effects of genotype, level of supplementation, and organic chromium on growth performance, carcass, and meat traits grazing lambs.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 21342748PubMed |

Barajas R, Cervantes BJ, Velazquez EA, Romo JA, Juarez F, Rojas PJ, Peña FR (2008) Chromium methionine supplementation on feedlot performance and carcass characteristics of bulls: II. Results including trough hot and humidity season in the Northwest of Mexico. Proceedings of Western Section of Society American of Animal Science 59, 374–375.

Chang X, Mowat D, Mallard B (1995) Supplemental chromium and niacin for stressed feeder calves. Canadian Journal of Animal Science 75, 351–358.
Supplemental chromium and niacin for stressed feeder calves.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Davidson A (2006) ‘The Oxford companion to food AZ.’ 2nd edn. (Oxford University Press: Oxford, UK)

Dikeman M (2007) Effects of metabolic modifiers on carcass traits and meat quality. Meat Science 77, 121–135.
Effects of metabolic modifiers on carcass traits and meat quality.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 22061403PubMed |

Domínguez-Vara I, González-Muñoz S, Pinos-Rodríguez J, Bórquez-Gastelum J, Bárcena-Gama R, Mendoza-Martínez G, Zapata L, Landois-Palencia L (2009) Effects of feeding selenium-yeast and chromium-yeast to finishing lambs on growth, carcass characteristics, and blood hormones and metabolites. Animal Feed Science and Technology 152, 42–49.
Effects of feeding selenium-yeast and chromium-yeast to finishing lambs on growth, carcass characteristics, and blood hormones and metabolites.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Estrada-Angulo A, Valdés Y, Carrillo-Muro O, Castro-Pérez B, Barreras A, López-Soto M, Plascencia A, Dávila-Ramos H, Ríos F, Zinn R (2013) Effects of feeding different levels of chromium-enriched live yeast in hairy lambs fed a corn-based diet: effects on growth performance, dietary energetics, carcass traits and visceral organ mass. Animal Production Science 53, 308–315.
Effects of feeding different levels of chromium-enriched live yeast in hairy lambs fed a corn-based diet: effects on growth performance, dietary energetics, carcass traits and visceral organ mass.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Flachowsky G (1993) Niacin in dairy and beef cattle nutrition. Archives of Animal Nutrition 43, 195–213.

Ganji SH, Kashyap ML, Kamanna VS (2015) Niacin inhibits fat accumulation, oxidative stress, and inflammatory cytokine IL-8 in cultured hepatocytes: impact on non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. Metabolism: Clinical and Experimental 64, 982–990.
Niacin inhibits fat accumulation, oxidative stress, and inflammatory cytokine IL-8 in cultured hepatocytes: impact on non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Gardner G, Smith G, Pethick D (1998) Effect of chromium chelavite supplementation on the metabolism of glycogen and lipid in adult Merino sheep. Australian Journal of Agricultural Research 49, 137–146.
Effect of chromium chelavite supplementation on the metabolism of glycogen and lipid in adult Merino sheep.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Haldar S, Mondal S, Samanta S, Ghosh T (2009) Effects of dietary chromium supplementation on glucose tolerance and primary antibody response against peste des petits ruminants in dwarf Bengal goats (Capra hircus). Animal 3, 209–217.
Effects of dietary chromium supplementation on glucose tolerance and primary antibody response against peste des petits ruminants in dwarf Bengal goats (Capra hircus).Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 22444223PubMed |

Jackson AR, Powell S, Johnston SL, Matthews JO, Bidner TD, Valdez FR, Southern LL (2009) The effect of chromium as chromium propionate on growth performance, carcass traits, meat quality, and the fatty acid profile of fat from pigs fed no supplemented dietary fat, choice white grease, or tallow. Journal of Animal Science 87, 4032–4041.
The effect of chromium as chromium propionate on growth performance, carcass traits, meat quality, and the fatty acid profile of fat from pigs fed no supplemented dietary fat, choice white grease, or tallow.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 19717765PubMed |

Kamanna VS, Kashyap ML (2008) Mechanism of action of niacin. The American Journal of Cardiology 101, S20–S26.
Mechanism of action of niacin.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Kegley E, Galloway D, Fakler T (2000) Effect of dietary chromium-l-methionine on glucose metabolism of beef steers. Journal of Animal Science 78, 3177–3183.
Effect of dietary chromium-l-methionine on glucose metabolism of beef steers.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 11132832PubMed |

Kumar M, Kaur H, Tyagi AK, Kewalramani NJ, Mani V, Deka RS, Sharma VK, Chandra G, Dang AK (2013) Effect of feeding inorganic chromium on growth performance, endocrine variables, and energy metabolites in winter-exposed buffalo calves (Bubalus bubalis). Biological Trace Element Research 155, 352–360.
Effect of feeding inorganic chromium on growth performance, endocrine variables, and energy metabolites in winter-exposed buffalo calves (Bubalus bubalis).Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 24013931PubMed |

Lee NA, Reasner CA (1994) Beneficial effect of chromium supplementation on serum triglyceride levels in NIDDM. Diabetes Care 17, 1449–1452.
Beneficial effect of chromium supplementation on serum triglyceride levels in NIDDM.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 7882815PubMed |

Li C, Li L, Lian J, Watts R, Nelson R, Goodwin B, Lehner R (2015) Roles of acyl-CoA: diacylglycerol acyltransferases 1 and 2 in triacylglycerol synthesis and secretion in primary hepatocytes. Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis, and Vascular Biology 114, 304584

Mo X, Yang C, Wang X, Burkhardt BR, Li Y, Xia H, Cao X (2015) F3MB (PANDER) decreases mice hepatic triglyceride and is associated with decreased DGAT1 expression. PLoS One 10, e0117156
F3MB (PANDER) decreases mice hepatic triglyceride and is associated with decreased DGAT1 expression.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 26536120PubMed |

Moradi MH, Nejati-Javaremi A, Moradi-Shahrbabak M, Dodds KG, McEwan JC (2012) Genomic scan of selective sweeps in thin and fat tail sheep breeds for identifying of candidate regions associated with fat deposition. BMC Genetics 13, 10
Genomic scan of selective sweeps in thin and fat tail sheep breeds for identifying of candidate regions associated with fat deposition.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 22364287PubMed |

Moreno-Camarena L, Domínguez-Vara I, Bórquez-Gastelum J, Sánchez-Torres J, Pinos-Rodríguez J, Mariezcurrena-Berasain A, Morales-Almaráz E, Salem AZ (2015) Effects of organic chromium supplementation to finishing lambs diet on growth performance, carcass characteristics and meat quality. Journal of Integrative Agriculture 14, 567–574.
Effects of organic chromium supplementation to finishing lambs diet on growth performance, carcass characteristics and meat quality.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Mousaie A, Valizadeh R, Naserian AA, Heidarpour M, Mehrjerdi HK (2014) Impacts of feeding selenium-methionine and chromium-methionine on performance, serum components, antioxidant status, and physiological responses to transportation stress of baluchi ewe lambs. Biological Trace Element Research 162, 113–123.
Impacts of feeding selenium-methionine and chromium-methionine on performance, serum components, antioxidant status, and physiological responses to transportation stress of baluchi ewe lambs.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 25367352PubMed |

Najafpanah MJ, Sadeghi M, Zali A, Moradi-Shahrebabak H, Mousapour H (2014) Chromium downregulates the expression of acetyl CoA carboxylase 1 gene in lipogenic tissues of domestic goats: a potential strategy for meat quality improvement. Gene 543, 253–258.
Chromium downregulates the expression of acetyl CoA carboxylase 1 gene in lipogenic tissues of domestic goats: a potential strategy for meat quality improvement.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 24704275PubMed |

Norouzian M, Alavijeh MV (2016) Comparison of artificial neural network and multiple regression analysis for prediction of fat tail weight of sheep. Iranian Journal of Applied Animal Science 6, 895–900.

Pollard GV, Richardson C, Karnezos T (2002) Effects of supplemental organic chromium on growth, feed efficiency and carcass characteristics of feedlot steers. Animal Feed Science and Technology 98, 121–128.
Effects of supplemental organic chromium on growth, feed efficiency and carcass characteristics of feedlot steers.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Refiye Y, Aysegul P, Bihter Y (2004) Effects of a combination of niacin and chromium (III)-chloride on the skin and lungs of hyperlipemic rats. Biological Trace Element Research 103, 249–260.

Sanchez-Mendoza B, Aguilar-Hernandez A, Lopez-Soto MA, Barreras A, Estrada-Angulo A, Navarro FJM, Torrentera NG, Zinn RA, Plascencia A (2015) Effects of high-level chromium methionine supplementation in lambs fed a corn-based diet on the carcass characteristics and chemical composition of the longissimus muscle. Turkish Journal of Veterinary and Animal Sciences 39, 376–379.
Effects of high-level chromium methionine supplementation in lambs fed a corn-based diet on the carcass characteristics and chemical composition of the longissimus muscle.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Shields D, Perry T, Schaefer D (1981) Niacin supplementation in lamb diets during adaptation to urea. Purdue Agric. Exp. Station. Sheep Day Report 11, 7–10.

Spears J (1999) Reevaluation of the metabolic essentiality of the minerals. Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences 12, 1002–1008.
Reevaluation of the metabolic essentiality of the minerals.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Stahlhut H, Whisnant C, Lloyd K, Baird E, Legleiter L, Hansen S, Spears J (2006) Effect of chromium supplementation and copper status on glucose and lipid metabolism in Angus and Simmental beef cows. Animal Feed Science and Technology 128, 253–265.
Effect of chromium supplementation and copper status on glucose and lipid metabolism in Angus and Simmental beef cows.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Subiyatno A, Mowat D, Yang W (1996) Metabolite and hormonal responses to glucose or propionate infusions in periparturient dairy cows supplemented with chromium. Journal of Dairy Science 79, 1436–1445.
Metabolite and hormonal responses to glucose or propionate infusions in periparturient dairy cows supplemented with chromium.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 8880468PubMed |

Sun Y, Mallya K, Ramirez J, Vincent J (1999) The biomimetic [Cr3O(O2CCH2CH3)6(H2O)3]+ decreases plasma cholesterol and triglycerides in rats: towards chromium-containing therapeutics. Journal of Biological Inorganic Chemistry 4, 838–845.
The biomimetic [Cr3O(O2CCH2CH3)6(H2O)3]+ decreases plasma cholesterol and triglycerides in rats: towards chromium-containing therapeutics.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 10631616PubMed |

Vinson J, Mandarano M, Shuta D, Bagchi M, Bagchi D (2002) Beneficial effects of a novel IH636 grape seed proanthocyanidin extract and a niacin-bound chromium in a hamster atherosclerosis model. Molecullar Cell Biochemistry 240, 99–103.
Beneficial effects of a novel IH636 grape seed proanthocyanidin extract and a niacin-bound chromium in a hamster atherosclerosis model.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Wang S, Wang J, Zhang X, Hu L, Fang Z, Huang Z, Shi P (2016) Trivalent chromium alleviates oleic acid induced steatosis in SMMC-7721 cells by decreasing fatty acid uptake and triglyceride synthesis. Biometals 29, 881–892.
Trivalent chromium alleviates oleic acid induced steatosis in SMMC-7721 cells by decreasing fatty acid uptake and triglyceride synthesis.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 27497686PubMed |

Xi G, Xu Z, Wu S, Chen S (2001) Effect of chromium picolinate on growth performance, carcass characteristics, serum metabolites and metabolism of lipid in pigs. Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences 14, 258–262.
Effect of chromium picolinate on growth performance, carcass characteristics, serum metabolites and metabolism of lipid in pigs.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Yen CLE, Stone SL, Koliwad S, Harris C, Farese RV (2008) Thematic review series: glycerolipids. DGAT enzymes and triacylglycerol biosynthesis. Journal of Lipid Research 49, 2283–2301.
Thematic review series: glycerolipids. DGAT enzymes and triacylglycerol biosynthesis.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Zamiri MJ, Izadifard J (1997) Relationships of fat-tail weight with fat-tail measurements and carcass characteristics of Mehraban and Ghezel rams. Small Ruminant Research 26, 261–266.
Relationships of fat-tail weight with fat-tail measurements and carcass characteristics of Mehraban and Ghezel rams.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |