Response of duck breeders to dietary L-Carnitine supplementation during summer season

Yasser S Rizk,Malak M Beshara,Khalid M Mahrose,Hany N Fahim,Awad L Awad

doi:10.1590/0001-3765201920180907

Abstract

A total number of 300 (225 ducks and 75 drakes) Sudani ducks, 28-wk-old were divided into five groups to investigate the effects of dietary L-carnitine (LC) supplementation on productive, hatching and physiological performance as well as nutrients digestibility coefficients. The results indicated that the productive performance and Semen quality parameters (ejaculate volume, sperms concentration and advanced motility) were significantly improved by LC supplementation (150-450 mg /kg diet) as compared to the control. Hatchability of fertile eggs (%) was significantly improved, while total embryonic mortality was significantly decreased by supplementing 300 and 450 mg LC/kg diet. Supplementing different dietary LC levels resulted in significantly high values of hemoglobin, red and white blood cells count and lymphocyte (L) cells percentage, while it decreased heterophils (H) cells and H/L ratio. Serum albumin, total cholesterol and AST enzyme values were significantly low in ducks fed diets supplemented with LC. Serum triglycerides were significantly the lowest by feeding 300 and 450 mg LC/kg diet. Nutrients digestibility coefficients were significantly improved in drakes fed diet supplemented with 450 mg LC/kg diet. Conclusively, dietary LC supplementation at 300 or 450 mg/kg for duck breeders in summer could improve productive, hatching and physiological performance and nutrients digestibility coefficients.

Highlights

Heat stress during summer season is one of the most important stressors in poultry production (Farghly et al 2017, 2018), which resulting in generation of enormous free radicals and other reactive oxygen species (ROS) to a level that damage tissue antioxidant defense system and results in oxidative stress (Maini et al 2007)
Group of ducks fed a diet supplemented by 300 mg LC/ kg followed by those fed a diet supplemented by 150 mg LC/ kg showed the highest values of Egg number (EN), Laying rate (LR) and egg mass was calculated (EM) in comparison with their counterparts
The significant improvement in egg production (EN or EM) may be due to that dietary LC supplementation increases β-oxidation of fatty acids to adenosine triphosphate, energy yielding increased by enhancing fatty acid and energy utilization (Neuman et al 2002)

Summary

Introduction

Heat stress during summer season is one of the most important stressors in poultry production (Farghly et al 2017, 2018), which resulting in generation of enormous free radicals and other reactive oxygen species (ROS) to a level that damage tissue antioxidant defense system and results in oxidative stress (Maini et al 2007). There is an increase demand for using natural feed supplementations to overcome the adverse effects of heat stress on poultry performance (Prieto and Campo 2010). In this regard, supplementing antioxidant materials may provide a beneficial effect to prevent stress-induced tissue damages. Carnitine has acquired benefits in the recent years as a possible feed supplement for enhancing poultry production and as a substance with possibly ergogenic characteristics for increasing physical performance. Carnitine is a quaternary amine (β-hydroxy γ-trimethylaminobutyrate), which is soluble in water, and found in two stereoisomeric forms, D- and L-carnitine (Gulcin 2006) Supplementations are those that help the normal development of physiological functions or that make up for their deficiencies. Dietary L-carnitine supplementation may improve energy production from fatty acids to improve laying production (AlHayani 2012), hatching process in chicken embryos and semen production and quality (Al-Daraji and Tahir 2014)

Methods

Results

Conclusion