Effects of supplemental L-carnitine in drinking water on performance and egg quality of laying hens exposed to a high ambient temperature.

Autor: Celik LB; Department of Animal Science, Cukurova University, Adana, Turkey. ladine@cu.edu.tr, Tekeli A, Oztürkcan O
Jazyk: angličtina
Zdroj: Journal of animal physiology and animal nutrition [J Anim Physiol Anim Nutr (Berl)] 2004 Jun; Vol. 88 (5-6), pp. 229-33.
DOI: 10.1111/j.1439-0396.2004.00477.x
Abstrakt: The present study was conducted to investigate effects of L-carnitine supplied with drinking water on performance and egg quality of laying hens under high environmental temperature. In the study, 47-week-old laying hens (Brown hisex) were divided into two groups (control and treatment) and fed with a standard layer diet. Treatment group was received 50 p.p.m L-carnitine with drinking water for an 8-week period. Throughout the study, 8 h hot (35-37 degrees C) and 16 h thermoneutral (20-22 degrees C) environmental temperature regime was employed daily. The results showed that L-carnitine supplementation affected some egg quality characteristics of layers under high environmental temperature. Relative albumen weight and height were increased (p < 0.05) by supplemental L-carnitine. Live weight gain, feed intake, egg mass, egg weight, yolk weight, shell weight, yolk index, egg-shape index, yolk colour score and shell thickness were not affected (p < 0.05) by L-carnitine. It is concluded that L-carnitine supplementation in laying hens could have potential to improve albumen quality under high environmental temperature.
(Copyright 2004 Blackwell Verlag, Berlin)
Databáze: MEDLINE
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