effects of l-carnitine administration on growth performance

382 C. ARSLAN et al.
Ducks are genetically predisposed to the fatness. Excessive fat in ducks is
unattractive to consumers who are concerned about the negative <strong>effects</strong> <strong>of</strong>
saturated fat intake on health. Different studies conducted on weaned pigs
found that L-<strong>carnitine</strong> supplementation in diet could reduce carcass fat and
improve feed conversion efficiency (Weeden et al., 1991; Owen et al., 1996). In
poultry, the <strong>effects</strong> <strong>of</strong> L-<strong>carnitine</strong> addition to the diet are less clear. There have
been several results indicating that L-<strong>carnitine</strong> supplementation <strong>of</strong> broiler diets
improved growth rate, feed conversion efficiency, breast and thigh meat yield
and reduced abdominal fat in broilers (Rabie et al., 1997a,b; Rabie and
Szilagyi, 1998). However, Barker and Sell (1994), Leibetseder (1995), and Buyse
et al. (2001) failed to observe any positive <strong>effects</strong> <strong>of</strong> L-<strong>carnitine</strong> supplementation
on diet or drinking water (Rodehutscord et al., 2002) on broiler
performance.
In several species, including rabbits (Bell et al., 1987) and rats (Mondola et al., 1992)
dietary L-<strong>carnitine</strong> supplementation decreased serum cholesterol and triglyceride levels.
In contrast, it is noticed that L-<strong>carnitine</strong> supplementation in the diet did not affect
serum cholesterol levels in broilers (Lien and Horng, 2001). Any literature related to the
usage <strong>of</strong> L-<strong>carnitine</strong> and its effect on abdominal fatty acid composition in duck feeding
could not be found.
In the current study, the <strong>effects</strong> <strong>of</strong> L-<strong>carnitine</strong> <strong>administration</strong> via drinking water on
growth performance, carcass traits, blood parameters and abdominal fatty acid
composition were investigated in Turkish native ducks.
2. MATERIALS AND METHODS
2.1. Animals and treatments
One hundred, unsexed, day-old Turkish native duck chicks were divided into two
groups, each with five replicates, containing 10 chicks. Both groups were fed the
diets prepared to meet National Research Council (NRC, 1984) recommendation
for ducks (Table I). Additionally, 0 (Control group) and 200 mg/l <strong>carnitine</strong>
chlorhydrate (Carnitine group) (Hepabial Carnitine, SOGEVAL Laboratoire,
France) were administrated via drinking water. Due to the <strong>carnitine</strong> chlorhydrate
being in a liquid form, it was <strong>of</strong>fered via drinking water. The study lasted 8
weeks, with the first 4 weeks as a starter and the last 4 weeks as a growth
period. Ducklings were placed in electrically heated battery brooders for the first
2 weeks and continuous incandescent lights were shone. At 15 days <strong>of</strong> age, the
ducklings were transferred to a feeding platform (1 m 6 2m685 cm) made from
metal, which consisted <strong>of</strong> a 1 cm mesh wire floor, over a concrete floor. After the
second week the study was conducted at room temperature (208C). Diets and
water were available at all times during the experimental period. Water
consumption <strong>of</strong> <strong>carnitine</strong> groups were monitored but net water consumption
could not be estimated due to excessive use <strong>of</strong> water by ducks either for drinking
or play. It is well known that a growing chicken drinks approximately twice as
much water as the feed it consumes (NRC, 1984). L-<strong>carnitine</strong> intake by ducks
might be estimated with fortnightly feed intake in this study. Additionally, studies
have already shown that L-<strong>carnitine</strong> supplementation did not affect water intake
(C¸ elik and O¨ ztu¨ rkcan, 2003).