Effects of dietary L-carnitine and coenzyme Q10 supplementation on performance and ascites mortality of broilers

Arch Anim Nutr. 2004 Dec;58(6):473-82. doi: 10.1080/00039420400020009.

Abstract

The study was conducted to determine the effects of dietary L-carnitine and coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) supplementation on growth performance and ascites mortality of broilers. A 3 x 3 factorial arrangement was employed with three levels (0, 75 and 150 mg/kg) of L-carnitine and three levels of CoQ10 (0, 20 and 40 mg/kg) supplementation during the experiment. Five hundred and forty one-day-old Arbor Acre male broiler chicks were randomly allocated into nine groups with six replicates each. All birds were fed with the basal diets from day 1 to 7 and changed to the experimental diets from day 8. During day 15 to 21 all the birds were exposed to low ambient temperature (15-18 degrees C) to induce ascites. The results showed that under this condition, growth performance of broilers were not significantly affected by CoQ10 or L-carnitine + CoQ10 supplementation during week 0-3 and 0-6, but body weight gain (BWG) of broilers was significantly reduced by 150 mg/ kg L-carnitine during week 0-6. Packed cell volume (PCV) of broilers was significantly decreased by L-carnitine and L-carnitine + CoQ10 supplementation (P < 0.05). Erythrocyte osmotic fragility (EOF), ascites heart index (AHI) and ascites mortality of broilers were significantly decreased by L-carnitine, CoQ10 and L-carnitine + CoQ10 supplementation. Though no significant changes were observed in total antioxidative capability (T-AOC), total superoxide dismutase (T-SOD) was increased by L-carnitine, CoQ10 and L-carnitine + CoQ10 supplementation (P < 0.05). Malonaldehyde (MDA) content was significantly decreased by CoQ10 and L-carnitine + CoQ10 supplementation. The results indicate that dietary L-carnitine and CoQ10 supplementation reduce ascites mortality of broilers; the reason may be partially associated with their antioxidative effects.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animal Feed
  • Animals
  • Antioxidants / administration & dosage*
  • Antioxidants / pharmacology
  • Ascites / mortality
  • Ascites / prevention & control
  • Ascites / veterinary*
  • Carnitine / administration & dosage*
  • Carnitine / pharmacology
  • Chickens / growth & development*
  • Coenzymes
  • Dietary Supplements
  • Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
  • Hematocrit / veterinary
  • Lipid Peroxidation / drug effects
  • Male
  • Osmotic Fragility
  • Poultry Diseases / mortality*
  • Poultry Diseases / prevention & control
  • Random Allocation
  • Survival Rate
  • Ubiquinone / administration & dosage*
  • Ubiquinone / analogs & derivatives*
  • Ubiquinone / pharmacology
  • Weight Gain / drug effects

Substances

  • Antioxidants
  • Coenzymes
  • Ubiquinone
  • coenzyme Q10
  • Carnitine