This study was conducted to determine the effects of Cr (
chromium picolinate, CrPic) supplementation at various levels (0, 200, 400, 800 or 1200 microg/kg of diet) on egg production, egg quality and serum concentrations of
insulin,
corticosterone and
glucose in laying Japanese quail (Coturnix coturnix japanica) reared under conditions of heat stress (32.5 degrees C). Laying Japanese quail (n = 150; 45 d old) were divided into five groups of 30 birds. The quail were fed either a control diet containing 965 microg Cr/kg diet or the control diet supplemented with 200, 400, 800 or 1200 microg of Cr/kg diet. Increased supplemental
chromium increased
body weight (P = 0.05, linear), feed intake (P = 0.05, linear), egg production (P = 0.01, linear) and also improved feed efficiency (P = 0.01, linear). Increased supplemental
chromium linearly increased egg weight (P = 0.01), eggshell thickness, egg specific gravity (P = 0.05) and Haugh unit (P = 0.01). Serum
insulin concentration increased linearly (P = 0.01), whereas
corticosterone and
glucose concentration decreased linearly (P = 0.05) as dietary
chromium increased. The best results were obtained with 1200 microg Cr/kg diet, and
chromium supplementation at such a level can be considered to be protective management practice in a quail
diet, reducing the negative effects of heat stress.