Differing conditions in captive breeding and in the wild have impact on the mineral profile of the pheasant carcass and its heavy metal contents. This may be an indicator of environmental contamination. The study evaluated the nutritional composition and selected macro- and trace element contents (heavy metals in particular) in usable sections of pheasant breast and thigh muscles originating from captive breeding and wild birds. The tests were performed on the breast and thigh muscles of 20 wild and 20 farm bred birds from around Lublin, Poland, with equal sex representation. The nutrient and lead, cadmium, chromium, and nickel contents were determined using inductively-coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy. The farmed pheasants had a higher proportion of breast muscle. The thigh muscles of all birds had a higher fat content than the breast muscles (5.1 g vs. 3.4 g per kg of natural weight). The macroelement level depended on the muscle type and bird origin. The trace element content also did and gender dependence was also evident. The wild birds contained more cadmium in the breast muscles and lead in both muscles than the farm-raised ones. The high quality and usefulness of wild and farmed pheasant meat is confirmed. It has advantageous macro- and trace element contents and permissible heavy metal contents except for lead in wild birds. The heavy metal level can be a bioindicator of their environmental occurrence. In wild birds, the lead level may also reflect birdshot remnants.

This study was conducted to assess the influence of chromium on the carcass traits in crossbred (Large White Yorkshire X Landrace) pigs fed with swill feeding for a period of 5 months. Early-weaned crossbred piglets (n=24) were selected for this study, and the piglets were randomly divided into three equal groups; Group I, II, and III. The piglets were reared by following standard health coverage protocols. The feeds of Group I and II were supplemented with chromium in the form of chromium tripicolinate at 0.1 and 0.2 mg/kg of swill feed respectively, and Group III was kept as control. Carcass weight, carcass length, and bone percentage showed no significant difference among the three groups. However, better dressing percentage was observed in Group I (p<0.05). Liver and kidney weights were reduced in chromium supplemented groups (p<0.05). Chromium supplemented groups showed lower backfat thickness and fat percentage (p<0.01); whereas, loin eye areas and muscle percentage were increased as compared to the control group. Thus, it was concluded that chromium supplementation in feed of crossbred piglets influenced positively in their carcass traits.

Objective: To provide values for gastrointestinal permeability and absorptive function tests (GIPFTs) with chromium 51 (51Cr)-labeled EDTA, lactulose, rhamnose, d-xylose, 3-O-methyl-d-glucose, and sucrose in Beagles and to evaluate potential correlations between markers. Animals: 19 healthy adult male Beagles. Procedures: A test solution containing 3.7 MBq of 51Cr-labeled EDTA, 2 g of lactulose, 2 g of rhamnose, 2 g of d-xylose, 1 g of 3-O-methyl-d-glucose, and 8 g of sucrose was administered intragastrically to each dog. Urinary recovery of each probe was determined 6 hours after administration. Results: Mean ± SD (range) percentage urinary recovery was 6.3 ± 1.6% (4.3% to 9.7%) for 51Cr-labeled EDTA, 3.3 ± 1.1% (1.7% to 5.3%) for lactulose, 25.5 ± 5.0% (16.7% to 36.9%) for rhamnose, and 58.8% ± 11.0% (40.1% to 87.8%) for 3-O-methyl-d-glucose. Mean (range) recovery ratio was 0.25 ± 0.06 (0.17 to 0.37) for 51Cr-labeled EDTA to rhamnose, 0.13 ± 0.04 (0.08 to 0.23) for lactulose to rhamnose, and 0.73 ± 0.09 (0.60 to 0.90) for d-xylose to 3-O-methyl-d-glucose. Median (range) percentage urinary recovery was 40.3% (31.6% to 62.7%) for d-xylose and 0% (0% to 0.8%) for sucrose. Conclusions and Clinical Relevance: Reference values in healthy adult male Beagles for 6 of the most commonly used GIPFT markers were determined. The correlation between results for 51Cr-labeled EDTA and lactulose was not as prominent as that reported for humans and cats; thus, investigators should be cautious in the use and interpretation of GIPFTs performed with sugar probes in dogs with suspected intestinal dysbiosis.

The 51Cr-labeled EDTA was validated as a suitable permeability probe in dogs for measurement of passive, unmediated diffusion across intestinal mucosa via intercellular pathways. The 51Cr-labeled EDTA was stable in aqueous solution and did not bind to biologic tissue and fluids. After incubation of 51Cr-labeled EDTA in isolated jejunal loops, analytic subcellular fractionation of jejunal mucosa on reorientating sucrose-density gradients was performed, and no association of 51Cr-labeled EDTA with particulate intracellular organelles was detected. Intravenously administered 51Cr-labeled EDTA was rapidly and completely excreted in urine. Intestinal permeability to 51Cr-labeled EDTA after oral administration was assessed in healthy dogs. The percentage of the administered dose of 51Cr-labeled EDTA excreted in the urine in 24 hours ranged from 2.3 to 17.6% (median, 13%).

Afeeding trial was conducted in layers for a period of8 weeks (23-30 weeks old) to evaluate the effect of chromium picolinate supplementation on egg yolk cholesterol and egg chromium content in layers.Atotal of (n=120) layers were randomly distributed in completely randomized design into 4 treatmentgroupseachwith2 replicates of 5chicks.The layers of treatment group T1(control)were provided water without chromiumwhile those of T2,T3andT4were provided water containing 200, 400 and 600 ppb chromium / litre respectively.At the end of feeding trial, six eggs from each replicate, on last three days were used for egg yolk cholesterol and egg chromium studies. The results indicated that the total cholesterol andLDL cholesterol content of eggs were significantly (P0.05) reduced and HDL-cholesterol content significantly increased in 400 and 600 ppb chromium supplemented group of layers. Whereas chromium content of eggs increased with increasing levels of chromium supplementation. It was concluded that organic chromium supplementation up to 600 ppb level through water may be advisable to reduce egg yolk total cholesterol and LDL- cholesterol and improved HDL-cholesterol and egg chromium content.