Effects of supplementing L-carnitine on productive performance and carcass characteristics of broiler

Abstract

L-carnitine is a naturally occurring amino acid derivative which has potential role in transporting long chain fatty acids from cytoplasm to the matrix of mitochondria. One hundred Cobb 500™ broiler chicks were used in a 28-day trial at Chittagong Veterinary and Animal Sciences University poultry farm to evaluate the functional efficiency of L-carnitine in drinking water on performance and carcass characteristics of broiler chicken. The experiment was carried out following completely randomized design. Birds were randomly distributed into five dietary treatment groups having two replicates per treatment. L-carnitine was supplemented at the rate of 0 mg/L, 25 mg/L, 50 mg/L, 75 mg/L and 100 mg/L in regular drinking water for T0, T1, T2, T3 and T4 dietary treatment groups, respectively. Results indicated that, weekly average weight gain differed significantly at 2nd (P<0.00l), 3rd (P<0.01) and 4th (P<0.05) weeks of age due to supplementation of L-carnitine. Unlike weight gain, feed intake decreased (P<0.01) at 4th week. FCR differed significantly (P<0.01) at 2nd3rd and 4th weeks. At 4th week, the best FCR (1.6) was recorded in T4 group and the worst FCR (1.8) in T0 group. Abdominal fat decreased significantly (P<0.01) and breast weight (P<0.01), dressed weight (P<0.05), spleen weight (P<0.05), thigh weight (P<0.05) and thymus weight increased (P<0.01) at 4th week. Fat deposition in liver decreased (P<0.01) at 4th week. It was concluded that, supplementation of L-carnitine at the rate of 100 mg/L in drinking water substantially improved productive performance and carcass characteristics of broiler.