Lack of effect of short term chromium supplementation in
lactating Jersey cows
P.J. Back, J. Lee, D.D.S. MacKenzie and P.M. Harris
AgResearch, Grasslands Research Centre, Palmerston North, New
Zealand.
Proceedings of the New Zealand Society of Animal Production. 1999, 59: 58-61
The responses of dairy cattle to chromium (Cr) supplementation
reported in the literature suggest that it has the potential to reduce
the incidence of both mastitis and ketosis. The effect of Cr
supplementation of pasture fed dairy cows in early lactation was
studied. Ten lactating Jersey cows fitted with rumen fistula were
infused with either Cr-yeast (n=4), casein (n=3) or buffer only
(controls; n=3) directly into the abomasum. All cows were subjected to a
hyperinsulinaemic euglycaemic clamp. Preliminary results show that there
was no effect of Cr supplementation on milk yield, cortisol and
b-hydroxy butyrate concentrations and somatic cell counts.
Keywords: NZSAPAB;
chromium; lactation; mastitis; ketosis.
Last Updated 06-08-1999
