Effects of l-carnitine supplementation to suckling piglets on carcass and meat quality at market age

Abstract

In a previous study, carnitine supplementation to piglets during the suckling period resulted in an increased total muscle fibre number at weaning in piglets of low birth weight. The objective of the present study was to investigate whether this effect is maintained until market age and whether this would attenuate the negative consequences of low birth weight on carcass and meat quality. Using a split-plot design with litter as block, sex as whole plot and treatment as subplot, the effects of earlypostnatal L-carnitine supplementation on female and castrated male piglets of low birth weight were investigated on a total of 56 German Landrace piglets from 14 litters. From days 7 to 27 of age piglets were orally supplemented once daily with 400 mg of L-carnitine dissolved in 1 ml of water or received an equal volume of water without carnitine. From weaning (day 28) until slaughter (day 166 of age) all pigs were fed standard diets. At weaning, carnitine-supplemented piglets had a twofold increased concentration of free carnitine ( P , 0.001) and a lower concentration of non-esterified fatty acids ( P , 0.05) in blood plasma indicating that carnitine became bioavailable and increased fatty acid utilization during the period of supplementation. Growth performance was not influenced by treatment in any growth period. Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry revealed no differences in body composition between groups in weeks 12, 16 and 20 of age. LW at slaughter, carcass weight, measures of meat yield and fat accretion, as well as body composition by chemical analyses and dissection of primal cuts did not differ between treatments. No differences between control and carnitine-treated pigs in total fibre number ( P 5 0.85) and fibre cross-sectional area ( P 5 0.68) in m. semitendinosus (ST) measured at slaughter could be observed. The carnitine group tended to exhibit a smaller proportion of slow-twitch oxidative fibres ( P 5 0.08), a greater proportion of fast-twitch glycolytic fibres ( P 5 0.11), and increased specific lactate dehydrogenase activity ( P 5 0.09) in ST indicating a more glycolytic muscle metabolism. Compared with the controls, a lower pH 24 value was observed ( P 5 0.05) in ST muscle of carnitine-supplemented pigs, which -in castrates only -was associated with an increased drip loss ( P , 0.01). Meat quality traits in m. longissimus were not influenced by treatment. In conclusion, our hypothesis that early-postnatal carnitine supplementation to piglets of low birth weight permanently increases myofibre number and improves later carcass and meat quality could not be confirmed by this experiment.

Impact of dietary l-arginine supply during early gestation on myofiber development in newborn pigs exposed to intra-uterine crowding

“…Furthermore, investigating the impact of gestational supplementation on hyperplasia especially in post-weaning pigs would be of great importance, as results on this matter are contradictory. For instance, supplementing l -carnitine daily to L-BtW piglets during the suckling period resulted in a third wave of hyperplasia [41] during the nursing period, but no difference in TNF was found between control and l -carnitine supplemented pigs at the age of slaughter [42]. Based on this contradiction, one could speculate that changes occurring during the prenatal period are more manifested and less prone to environmental changes in the postnatal period, thus, having permanent positive effects until the animal reaches slaughter weight.…”

Basic mechanisms of the regulation of L‐carnitine status in monogastrics and efficacy of L‐carnitine as a feed additive in pigs and poultry

“…The piglets were exclusively suckling (no creep‐feed was offered), and thus, no additional L‐carnitine was taken up than from sow's milk. In a subsequent study from Lösel and Rehfeldt (), in which low‐birth weight piglets ( n = 56 female and castrated male from 14 German Landrace sows) were orally supplemented with 400 mg L‐carnitine per day during the suckling period (from day 7 to 27 of age) and fed standard diets from weaning at day 28 of age until slaughter at day 166 of age, it was shown that growth performance, body composition, measures of meat yield and fat accretion and muscle contractile traits at slaughter were not influenced by supplemental L‐carnitine. In contrast to the before‐mentioned study of this group, piglets were offered creep‐feed from day 10 of age, but neither the composition nor the intake of creep‐feed by the piglets have been reported in this study.…”

Carnitine Enigma: From Antioxidant Action to Vitagene Regulation. Part 1. Absorption, Metabolism, and Antioxidant Activities

“…In general, carnitine concentrations in tissues of pigs are markedly lower than those reported for humans [15]. For example, free carnitine levels in pig plasma at day 28 are shown to be 18.4 µmol/L and increased up to 37.7 µmol/L after 20 days LC dietary supplementation at 400 mg/ day [38]. Plasma carnitine concentration is comparable with those of other antioxidants, including vitamin E (20-30 µM) and ascorbic acid (26.1-84.6 µM) [39].…”