L-carnitine improves egg production in black neck ostriches
A. Hajibabaei A D , M. Shivazad B , Sh. Golzar Adabi C , A. Lavaf A and N. Eila AA Department of Animal Science, Islamic Azad University, Karaj Branch, Tehran, Iran.
B Department of Animal Science, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran.
C Jahad Keshavarzi Organisation, East Azarbayjan, Iran.
D Corresponding author. Email: hajib@ut.ac.ir
Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture 48(10) 1341-1344 https://doi.org/10.1071/EA08132
Submitted: 11 April 2008 Accepted: 17 July 2008 Published: 11 September 2008
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.
Acknowledgements
We gratefully acknowledge the Iran Ostrich Research International company for financial help, the construction of facilities and maintenance support. We also thank Dr H. Vahedi for veterinary support, M. Mazaheri for translation, Dr M. Taleb Shoshtari for editing and M. Khojasteh Kia, M. Gaderi, A. Pirozfar, M. Ansari and G. Porgolam for help with bird care and facility maintenance.
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