Acta Univ. Agric. Silvic. Mendelianae Brun. 2012, 60(1), 49-56 | DOI: 10.11118/actaun201260010049

The effect of a supplement of chromium (picolinate) on the level of blood glucose, insulin activity and changes in laboratory evaluation of the ejaculate of breeding boars

Pavel Horký, Petra Jančíková, Ladislav Zeman

Ústav výživy zvířat a pícninářství, Mendelova univerzita v Brně, Zemědělská 1, 613 00 Brno, Česká republika

The experiment was based on feeding the organic form of chromium (picolinate) and the assessment of its effect on the level of blood glucose, insulin activity and changes in the laboratory values of the ejaculate (sperm motility, ejaculate volume, sperm concentration and per cent of pathological sperm) in breeding boars. The experiment involved 40 boars divided into two equal groups. Boars of the experimental group (n = 21) received 181.81 μg of chromium per kg of feed ration (FR) administered perorally, in the control group (n = 19) chromium intake was not increased.
The chromium supplement significantly (P < 0.05) increased cell absorption of blood glucose in the experimental group of boars as against the control group. There was no difference in insulin activity between the two groups.
Changes in laboratory values of the ejaculate were evaluated and no significant differences were discovered in any of the parameters. During the experiment the sperm concentration and motility were absolutely the same in boars of both groups; it can therefore be concluded that increasing the level of chromium in the feed ration of boars of the experimental group had no direct effect on these parameters. It was the same in the case of the ejaculate volume which gradually decreased between periods 1 and 4, in boars receiving chromium by 12.8 % and in the control group by 8.1 %. The beneficial effect of chromium was seen in the reduced count of pathological sperm in boars in periods 3 and 4 of tests as against boars of the control group. In spite of the considerable 26.3 % difference between the groups this decrease was not statistically significant. Data evaluation revealed a significant correlation (P < 0.01) between the number of samplings per boar and sperm concentration. A correlation (P < 0.05) was also detected between the ejaculate volume and sperm concentration

Keywords: boar, ejaculate, blood, chromium, picolinate, glucose

Grants and funding:

This project was funded by grant IGA TP 2/2011.

Received: October 29, 2011; Prepublished online: October 5, 2013; Published: October 9, 2013  Show citation