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In concert with the improved DMI observed with trivalent chromium supplementation during the early lactation period, cows appear to reach a positive energy balance sooner, as reflected in lower NEFA levels. How can these metabolic changes impact reproduction?
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These observations support the concept that chromium supplementation elicits metabolic and endocrine changes in a homeorhetic manner, similar to rBST. Milk composition has also been unchanged with chromium supplementation. On average (unweighted), there was a 3.9-pounds-per-day increase in milk yield, ranging from less than 1.0 to more than11.0 pounds per day.īecause the increases in milk yield and DMI to trivalent chromium supplementation parallel each other, feed efficiency is unchanged. Milk yield responses paralleled the DMI response, with the studies that observed significant increases in DMI also having significant increases in daily milk production. The unweighted average across the nine experiments is 2.7 pounds per day DMI, with a range from less than 1.1 pounds to more than 7.5 pounds per day. Out of nine experiments, six had significantly increased DMI post-partum in the chromium- supplemented cows and the other three had non-significant differences compared to the unsupplemented cows. Lack of significant differences in pre-partum DMI in response to chromium supplementation in the studies above does not necessarily rule out that increases in DMI occurred lack of significance could be due to the high variation in DMI within and between individual cows during this period and the lack of adequate animals (experimental units) to detect treatment differences. Of the seven experiments in the scientific literature where trivalent chromium supplemented during the transition period, two observed significantly increased DMI during the pre-partum period, while the other five observed no difference compared to the unsupplemented cows. With trivalent chromium supplementation, it is not clear which comes first, DMI or milk yield, largely due to the fact that most of the studies reported start supplementation in late gestation. With recombinant bovine somatotropin (rBST) treatment in lactating dairy cattle, it is well known that increases in milk yield precede the increases in dry matter intake (DMI). The chicken and the egg: DMI and milk yield NEFA levels in the first few weeks after calving are lower in chromium-supplemented cattle than in cows fed an unsupplemented diet. After calving, the response in NEFA levels to trivalent chromium supplementation appears to reflect the cows’ energy balance statuses. Lower serum NEFA concentrations would be correlated with decreased lipolytic rates, and several studies have shown decreased NEFA in the prepartum period in cattle supplemented with trivalent chromium. The increase in insulin responsiveness of adipose tissue observed with trivalent chromium supplementation would be expected to result in increased rates of lipogenesis and decreased rates of lipolysis. In another study with multiparous cows, trivalent chromium supplementation increased rates of gluconeogenesis measured in vitro when cows were fed a pre-partum diet low in non-fiber carbohydrates. In a study with primiparous cows, those that were supplemented with trivalent chromium had significantly higher rates of gluconeogenesis and peror glycogenolysis in their livers. If insulin and peror glucagon responsiveness were altered by trivalent chromium supplementation, we would expect to see alterations in rates of gluconeogenesis. Trivalent chromium may also alter the insulin sensitivity of liver.
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This is important, as glucose is the major substrate for lactose synthesis, and lactose is the primary determinant of milk volume. Because glucose transport in mammary tissue is not insulin-regulated, glucose transport by mammary would not be altered by trivalent chromium. Trivalent chromium increases the insulin sensitivity of some peripheral tissues including adipose and muscle. Trivalent chromium has received a lot of attention in human nutrition and medicine throughout the past 50 years, particularly in regard to glucose homeostasis and management of Type II diabetes. How does chromium affect glucose and NEFA metabolism?