L-carnitine improves egg production in black neck ostriches

Abstract

The important functions of L-carnitine are fostering the oxidation of long-chain fatty acids by mitochondria and stimulating protein-sparing action by increasing energy derived from lipids. The present study was conducted to investigate dietary effects of L-carnitine on egg production of breeder ostriches. Ninety black neck ostrich breeder birds (60 females and 30 males) were examined randomly (completely randomised design) within three treatments and five replicates for 7 months in breeding season. A basal diet was formulated and used for the control group (L1), while two levels of L-carnitine, 250 mg/kg and 500 mg/kg, were included in the basal diet for treatments L2 and L3, respectively. The egg production percentage, egg weight and defective eggshell percentage were measured. The supplementary diet with 500 mg/kg L-carnitine increased (P < 0.01) the egg production percentage. Means (±s.e.) of egg production percentage for L1, L2 and L3 were 9.68, 12.95 and 17.13% (±1.08), respectively. L-carnitine had no effect on the egg weight and the defective eggshell percentage. The results suggest that basal diet supplemented with 500 mg/kg L-carnitine can increase the egg production percentage of ostriches.

Effect of adding L-carnitine and Protexin(R) probiotic on performance and some blood parameters of ostrich chickens

“…Due to the fact that young ostrich chicks can not use fibers as well as old ostriches (Cooper et al, 2004), here synbiotic may has contributed in development of healthy microflora in the hindgut, to get more energy from the nutrient fermentation in the cecum and consequently have improved the performance of the birds. In contrast to these results, Gri et al (2008) failed to show any significant impact of probiotics in rhea chicks. The addition of probiotic to diets may influence broiler weight gain (Langhout, 2000).…”

“…BW, FCR) (Mohan et al, 1996;Yeo and Kim, 1997;Kabir et al, 2004;Gunal et al, 2006;Nayebpor et al, 2007;Paryad and Mahmoudi, 2008). In this study, the higher growth performance observed in the ostrich chicks consuming the diets containing probiotics may be due to a change in their gastrointestinal tract microbiota populations, as reported for broiler chickens (Schrezenmier and Vrese, 2001;Gunal et al, 2006;Alloui et al, 2013). Dietary Lcarnitine supplementation (50 mg kg -¹) has been found an increase in feed intake (Sayed et al, 2001).…”

“…L-carnitine as feed additives in poultry diets used to increase yield and to improve feed efficiency (Bell et al, 1987). The main functions of L-carnitine are fostering the oxidation of long-chain fatty acids by mitochondria and stimulating a protein-sparing action by increasing energy derived from lipids (Hajibabaei et al, 2008). Moreover, Lcarnitine is used in poultry for multifunctional purposes that include promoting growth, strengthening the immune system, as an antioxidant and ameliorating semen quality (Golzar Adabi et al, 2011).…”