The effects of 20 ppm chromium (CrCl3.6H2O) and/or 20 ppm vanadium (NaVO3.nH2O) on growth, glucose metabolism, and lipid synthesis in chicks were studied in a 2 X 2 factorial experiment. Chicks were fed experimental diets from day-old to 3 weeks of age. At 3 weeks, four chicks per treatment were injected intraperitoneally (i.p.) with 250 mu Ci 3H2O and 4 mu Ci [U-14C]glucose. Chicks were bled by cardiac puncture and killed 30 min postinjection. Dietary vanadium reduced body and liver weights and liver cholesterol while serum cholesterol was increased. Chromium had no effect on these parameters and there was no significant interaction of chromium with vanadium. Chromium and vanadium each increased 14C incorporation into liver fatty acids over that of controls. However, the combination of chromium and vanadium was without effect so that the interaction was significant. Incorporation of 3H from H2O into liver fatty acids paralleled that of 14C from glucose for all treatments. In vitro studies on the uptake and oxidation of glucose by liver slices from chicks fed the basal diet were conducted. Chromium increased the rate of glucose utilization 16% over control and vanadium increased the rate by 33%. The combination of chromium and vanadium was no different from vanadium alone. A chromium vanadium antagonism was observed in some metabolic processes but not on body or organ weight.