Effect of L-carnitine supplementation on growth performance of beef calves
2009
Sato, M.(Tokyo Univ. of Agriculture, Atsugi, Kanagawa (Japan). Faculty of Agriculture) | Kurosawa, A. | Ikeda, S. | Watanabe, N. | Odo, S. | Sukemori, S.
The present experiment aimed to estimate the effect of dietary supplementation of L-carnitine to calves on their growth performance. L-carnitine plays a role in the shuttling process of long-chain fatty acids into a mitochondrial matrix that eventually promotes lipid catabolism to produce ATP. Immature animals cannot synthesize it by themselves and depend on milk for the intake of L-carnitine. Six Japanese Black cattle calves were used in this study. The animals were randomly classified into two groups of 3 calves each, a normal control group and an L-carnitine supplemented experimental group. After one week of drinking colostrum, they were separated from their dam and artificially given 500 g/2L commercial milk replacer twice a day. The milk in the experimental group contained additional 0.1 g L-carnitine. Artificial nursing was conducted for 1 month and the animals were weaned after this period. Determination of body weight and body measurement (withers height, body length, chest depth, chest girth, and height at hip cross) was conducted every week. Enlargement percentage was calculated for the initial size for each calf at the starting point. Although body weight gain and enlargement of chest girth in the experimental group showed a tendency for improved growth performance, there was no significant difference in any factor. The number of animals used in this study may be somewhat small, but the present results suggest that L-carnitine supplementation to the milk replacer supported the growth performance of calves.
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