ABSTRACT
The present work was performed to study the effect of chromium piclonate supplement on performance of growing kids during hot summer season (33.6 oC and 74.2% RH). A total number of twenty weaned commercial kids randomly divided into four treatment groups each of 5 animals. Groups were nearly similar in initial body weight. Kids of first group fed the basal diet and kept as control (G1), while kids of G2, G3 and G4 fed diets supplemented with 50, 100 and 150 mg chromium piclonate/kg diet, respectively. The final live body weight and daily body gain increased significantly (P < 0.05 to 0.01) during all the experimental periods for Kids fed diets supplemented with chromium piclonate. However, the supplementation of 150 mg chromium piclonate/kg diet had to be the best significant performance. The daily feed intake, feed conversion, water ∕ feed intake ratio, water ∕ daily gain ratio increased significantly (P < 0.05 to 0.01) during the experimental period for kids fed diets supplemented with chromium piclonate. Water intake, rectum temperature and respiration rate not significantly affected by previous treatments. The best margin obtained for group fed the diet supplemented with 150 mg chromium piclonate/kg diet. All carcass traits improved but insignificantly due to dietary chromium piclonate supplementation. Serum total proteins and ALT increased significantly (P < 0.05), while cholesterol and triglycerides levels decreased significantly (P<0.05) in kids treated with chromium piclonate compared with control group. Serum albumin, globulin, urea-N, creatinine, AST, WBCs, RBCs MCV, MCH and Hb levels insignificantly affected by chromium piclonate supplementation to the kids' diets. Finally, it could conclude that supplementation of 150 mg chromium piclonate/kg diet to the kids is helpful in improving production performance, under summer condition.